Murder over marijuana? Trial begins for man accused of 2015 Merced shooting homicide
Testimony began this week in the case of a 27-year-old man accused of a 2015 shooting homicide in central Merced, possibly over a marijuana deal that turned deadly.
Tyler Sing Saephan is accused of gunning down Adrian Ayala, 20, outside a residence on Eric Court, southwest of G Street and West Olive Avenue. Ayala was shot dead in the driveway of his residence.
He’s charged with first degree murder, robbery in the second degree and weapons-related charges. He has pleaded not guilty and and faces life in state prison, if convicted.
Testimony emerged in court Thursday that Ayala and Saephan had been messaging each other on Facebook and talking about an impending drug deal the night of the homicide, Aug. 7, 2015.
Merced police officers testified the victim had marijuana to sell and Saephan was communicating with him about buying it.
Ayala was just leaving his residence to sell the marijuana in his possession when he was shot, the police reports said. At least one witness saw a gold Honda Accord drive away from Ayala’s family’s house.
At one point, Ayala’s mother, Norma Alvarez, went out to her own car outside the house to retrieve something. As she was coming back into the house through the front door, she heard gunshots and ran back outside, since she knew Ayala had gone outside to his own car, she testified in court Thursday.
His car was running and she found him near his Jeep, before seeing the taillights of a car speeding away in the dark onto Rambler Road. The yellow plastic grocery bag of marijuana was nowhere to be seen, Ayala’s mother later testified.
Ayala was later pronounced dead at Mercy Medical Center in Merced. “I just saw the end of it, just the taillights, that’s it,” Alvarez testified. “I didn’t see the car or anything.”
When officers finally caught up to Saephan in 2017, he told police he was the driver of the vehicle that sped away from the scene of the crime, but said he wasn’t the shooter, according to police reports.
Police reports show he told police another man shot Ayala before the pair drove away.
Prosecutor Nicole Silveira told jurors Thursday evidence will show the defendant is responsible for Ayala’s homicide.
“That is the value Mr. Saephan put on Adrian’s life – nothing more than some marijuana,” Silveira said.
The defense attorney in the case, David W. Washington, decided to reserve his opening statement Thursday.
The trial will resume Tuesday, Feb. 15.
This story was originally published February 11, 2022 at 1:39 PM with the headline "Murder over marijuana? Trial begins for man accused of 2015 Merced shooting homicide."