There is enough evidence to try four men on murder charges in an October slaying that allegedly occurred during a pot deal outside a Santa Rosa meat market.
The ruling from Judge Julie Conger followed a preliminary hearing for the men charged with killing Jose Manual de Jesus, 33. Conger found all could be tried for murder with special circumstances, robbery and conspiracy. They face life without parole if convicted.
Held to answer Friday afternoon were Fernando Lopez-Castillo, 26, thought to be the shooter, his brother, Juan Ramon Lopez-Castillo, 29, and Jose Carraballo-Mejia, 55, all of Santa Rosa, and Alberto Lopez Barraza, 34, of Hayward. They will return to court June 29. A trial date has not been set.
Prosecutors said de Jesus obtained 10 pounds of marijuana and arranged through a friend to sell it to Juan Lopez-Castillo, a former employee of Carniceria Contreras on Todd Road.
However, de Jesus was shot and killed instead.
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