Brothers plead not guilty in Santa Rosa Junior College neighborhood fatal stabbing

Two Santa Rosa brothers suspected of fatally stabbing an acquaintance pleaded not guilty Thursday to the killing.

Johnny Martinez, 20, and his brother, Gabriel Cardin Heredia, 25, are accused of stabbing Shaun Avila, 38, in front of his Slater Street apartment in the Santa Rosa Junior College neighborhood May 9.

Police investigators said the brothers and Avila had “bad blood” stemming from their involvement with the same woman - the mother of one of Avila’s children who then began dating Martinez.

The men encountered one another unexpectedly about 7:45 p.m. outside Avila’s apartment, police said. Avila was killed in front of his 8- and 2-year-old daughters, and a stepdaughter drove the wounded man to a hospital. The brothers were arrested the next day in Modesto.

On Thursday, Martinez and Cardin Heredia appeared before Judge Robert LaForge in Sonoma County Superior Court and entered not guilty pleas for Avila’s murder.

Two women in the courtroom audience wore T-shirts with Avila’s name, photo and the words “Rest in Memory.”

Martinez and Cardin Heredia are scheduled to return to court Sept. 18 for a preliminary hearing.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.