Teens plead not guilty in New Year's slaying

Two teenagers charged in a New Year's Eve slaying outside a Santa Rosa apartment complex pleaded not guilty to murder charges Monday.

Joseph Varela, 15, of Santa Rosa and Manuel Khioboukham, 19, of Rohnert Park are accused of killing Damien Wadell Toney Jr., 20, also of Santa Rosa, at the Piner Road apartments.

Their preliminary hearing was set for May 12.

Authorities said the men got into a fight outside a party attended by up to 40 people. Police responding to 2 a.m. calls of shots fired arrived to find Toney lying on the ground.

He later died at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

Varela is alleged to have run to a neighboring apartment but was arrested the same day. Police recovered a gun. Prosecutors were able to charge him as an adult under a law that applies to people over 14 years old.

Khioboukham, a friend of Varela's, was arrested Feb. 3 when he came to court on an unrelated matter. Police said he fired on Toney also. But his lawyer, Joe Stogner, said there was no evidence that Khiobaukham was involved.

"At this point, we don't have any evidence of a second firearm involved," Stogner said.

Stogner said witnesses reported Toney assaulting a woman before the shooting. He said a motive for the slaying might have been self-defense or the defense of others.

Friends or family members of the victim declined comment outside court. Prosecutor Spencer Brady also declined comment.You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 568-5312 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com.