Fresno man accused of killing boss who fired him

A murder trial began Tuesday for a Fresno man accused of shooting the boss who fired him from a mattress company five years ago.

But the lawyer for defendant Rafael Apolinar, 26, contends that someone else killed 29-year-old James Blanco as he showered inside his Sunnyside home southeast of Fresno.

In opening statements, prosecutor Brian Hutchins said Blanco was shot to death during the late hours of June 30, 2011, on the 6000 block of East Alta Avenue near Kings Canyon Road and Fowler Avenue. The gunman, armed with a 40-caliber weapon, fired nine times through a bathroom window, striking the victim in the shoulder and back. Because Blanco crouched over to shield himself, the bullets traveled downward through his neck and out the top of his head, Hutchins said.

After the shooting, neighbors saw a pickup speed away from Blanco’s home. The description of the pickup matched one that Apolinar drives, Hutchins told the jury.

Blanco worked for Pleasant Mattress Co. in Fresno for 10 years, rising from an entry-level worker to plant manager overseeing more than 50 employees, Hutchins said. He hired Apolinar, the prosecutor said.

A sheriff’s investigation revealed that Blanco fired Apolinar for poor performance and a bad attitude about three months before the shooting, Hutchins said. Apolinar then complained to others about being fired, including to the victim’s brother, Harvey Blanco.

On the day of the shooting, Apolinar talked with Harvey Blanco, calling his brother a punk and other names. Apolinar also complained about being treated as a slave and said James Blanco had no clue what he was doing as plant manager. Harvey Blanco told him to leave.

According to Hutchins, Apolinar knew where Blanco lived. The prosecutor said Apolinar got a gun, picked up Andrew Macias, and drove to Blanco’s home around 11:30 p.m.

While Blanco’s girlfriend and her son slept in the house, Blanco took a shower. The gunman then opened fire, leaving eight shell casings outside the house and one shell casing inside the bathroom. Blanco died at the scene.

Because Apolinar was vocal about being fired, he was a prime suspect in Blanco’s killing. During the investigation, detectives found gloves that belonged to Apolinar, Hutchins said. The gloves were later determined to have gunshot residue on them, the prosecutor said.

Initially, Apolinar denied shooting Blanco, but admitted that he didn’t like his former boss, Hutchins said.

The break in the case came when Macias, after consulting with a lawyer, talked to detectives and implicated Apolinar in the shooting. In a second interview, Apolinar again denied shooting Blanco. But after detectives arrested Apolinar, he admitted that he was at Blanco’s home when the shooting happened, Hutchins told the jury.

According to Hutchins, Apolinar told detectives: “I wanted to shoot the guy. I got the gun. I picked up Macias. But I decided not to do it.” Instead, Apolinar told detectives that Macias said: “What the hell, I’ll do it.” After the shooting, Apolinar “admits to being the getaway driver,” Hutchins said.

Hutchins told the jury Apolinar lied to detectives because Macias had no motive to kill Blanco.

“The defendant took revenge on the boss who fired him,” Hutchins said.

Defense lawyer Roberto Dulce, who is defending Apolinar, agreed that his client didn’t like Blanco. But after Apolinar was fired, he got a better-paying job at a furniture store, Dulce said.

Dulce also conceded that Apolinar got a gun and intended to shoot Blanco, but got cold feet once he got to Blanco’s home. He said Apolinar gave the gun to Macias.

The detectives, Dulce said, “made a gut reaction” to arrest Apolinar. “They found a convenient suspect,” he said. “Law enforcement never looked beyond the disgruntled employee (theory).”

Macias, who was not charged in connection with Blanco’s killing, is on the witness list in Judge Houry Sanderson’s courtroom. The trial is expected to take two to three weeks.

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Fresno man accused of killing boss who fired him."