Brutal murder or self-defense? Trial begins for Fresno man who committed fatal stabbing
A Fresno man who was convicted for manslaughter for a 1991 stabbing is back in court, accused of another fatal stabbing.
Michael Leyva, 52, is charged with murder for using a knife to kill Miguel Arnulfo Garcia, 38, outside of a southeast Fresno strip mall in 2018. If convicted, Leyva faces life in prison.
Leyva’s trial began Friday with opening statements from attorneys on both sides and testimony from several witnesses.
The most-anticipated witness will be Leyva’s estranged wife, Irene Leyva, who was with him the day of the stabbing. Her credibility is being called into question by defense attorney Douglas Foster. She is expected to testify on Monday.
During the prosecution’s opening statements, Senior Deputy District Attorney Amy Cobb presented the jury with the details of what happened the day of the killing.
Cobb said Michael and Irene Leyva went to the Metro PCS store on Belmont Avenue and Sixth Street to get her phone repaired. He dropped her off and she ran into the store.
As the defendant’s wife was leaving that business, she walked by King’s Smoke Shop, located in the same strip mall as the cell phone store. Prosecutors believe Garcia, the victim, had just driven up, parking sloppily in a space.
He saw Irene Leyva and catcalled her, Cobb said, asking her to go into a nearby alley to do something sexual.
“She told him to (expletive) off and got into Michael’s car,” Cobb said. “(Michael) asked her, ‘What was that guy talking to you about?’ and she told him ‘to just go.’ But Mr. Leyva didn’t listen and he got out.”
Cobb said Irene Leyva told police the defendant got out of his Ford F150 pickup with a knife in his hand to confront Garcia.
Garcia, who may have been intoxicated, responded by throwing a punch at Leyva, Cobb said.
Leyva then plunged his knife into Garcia’s chest. Despite being wounded, Garcia managed to use his own knife to slash two of Leyva’s truck tires.
Cobb said Garcia died several hours later at Community Regional Medical Center.
Cobb acknowledged to the jury that Irene Leyva is a “problematic witness.” She served three years in prison for battery with great bodily injury, is a former addict and has battled mental health issues. But prosecutors say she has put all that behind her and wants to tell the truth about what happened.
Self-defense argument
Leyva’s defense attorney, Foster, said his client does not deny stabbing Garcia, but did so out of self-defense. He also alleged Irene Leyva has a vendetta against Michael Leyva and has given contradictory statements to investigators.
Foster said surveillance video taken from a nearby business will show Leyva’s Ford pickup truck pull up to the parking lot and wait for his wife to come back from the cell phone store.
She returned and shortly after the defendant got out of the truck and walked toward Garcia.
“As Michael walks towards the PCS store you see (Garcia) square up and throw a punch,” Foster said, describing the video to the jury. “He also pulls something out and starts to pursue Mr. Leyva.”
The jury is expected to view the video next week.
Foster said Irene Leyva isn’t motivated by finding justice for Garcia, but to make sure her husband goes to jail for life.
“She blames him because her life fell apart,” Foster said. “He was supporting her and her eight children. And when he was in custody, they had to bounce around from home to home. She blames Michael for making bad decisions. And she wants payback, that’s what this case is about.”
Michael Leyva remains in custody at the Fresno County Jail.
