Trial set next year for slayings of two Merced County teens

A trial is set for next year in the case against two suspected gang members charged with killing two teenagers at a house party in 2013.

Jose L. Botello and Jose M. Carballido, both 20, have pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges in connection with the slayings of Samantha Parreira, 16, and Matthew Fisher, 19.

Parreira and Fisher were shot to death March 30, 2013, at a party in the 9200 block of Westside Boulevard, outside Atwater.

Both men appeared Friday before Judge Ronald W. Hansen in Merced Superior Court, according to court records.

The judge ordered both men to return to court on Jan. 15, 2016, for a pretrial conference, with jury selection scheduled to begin on March 1, according to court records.

Botello and Carballido were arrested in July 2014 after a 16-month investigation by the Merced County Sheriff’s Department. They were ordered to stand trial in June following a preliminary hearing.

Deputies testified in June that Botello and Carballido are members of an Atwater street gang who attended the party and said multiple people from other rival gangs also were present.

Deputies said Botello rushed toward Fisher in the backyard and opened fire, striking Fisher and Parreira, who was seated close to Fisher. Detectives described Carballido as possibly serving as a lookout for Botello during the attack.

Botello’s attorney has said his client is innocent – a victim of mistaken identity. Carballido’s attorney has said his client had no idea anybody was armed at the time and was unaware of any plans to confront gang members.

One other man was killed during the same party, but investigators believe his death was unrelated to the slayings of Fisher and Parreira.

Bernabed Hernandez-Canela, 18, was shot and killed in front of the house, apparently amid the chaos of multiple simultaneous gunfights in the area. The search for those responsible for Hernandez-Canela’s death came under intense scrutiny last year when two people were charged with his death but later declared innocent by Judge Hansen.

Jacob Tellez and Ethan B. Morse, son of Merced County District Attorney Larry Morse II, were arrested in July 2014 and set free four months later when Hansen declared them factually innocent following a preliminary hearing. Tellez and Morse have sought damage claims against Merced County, which were rejected by the Board of Supervisors. Lawsuits are expected.

Botello and Carballido remain in custody in the Merced County jail.

This story was originally published August 10, 2015 at 4:09 PM with the headline "Trial set next year for slayings of two Merced County teens."