A preliminary hearing has been set for Nov. 14 for a man charged with murdering two homeless men in an Otay Mesa strip mall on May 17.
Deputy District Attorney Victor Ou said Tuesday the cause of death for Curtis Murray, 56, and Albert Stringer, 61, was numerous stab wounds. Ou said the suspect, Ricardo Valles, 52, did not know either victim. Both victims were reported to frequent areas of Chula Vista and National City.
Ou said information about how Valles came into contact with both victims and other details may come out in the preliminary hearing in Chula Vista Superior Court. He said testimony may take a full day to present.
Both victims were found lying on a sidewalk near a closed business named Rita’s of Otay Mesa at 3410 Palm Avenue. A San Diego Police officer on patrol noticed them at 2:45 a.m. and discovered that neither of them were alive.
Almost a week later, police announced the arrest of Valles as a suspect in the double murder. Valles was arrested May 23 at 6:30 p.m. at the intersection of Palm Avenue and Beyer Way. Police said Valles is also homeless.
A judge declined to set any bail amount for Valles and he remains in the George Bailey Detention Facility. He has pleaded not guilty to committing both murders. Court records say he was convicted of vandalism in San Diego Superior Court in 2015.
