Atwater woman pleads not guilty in fatal motel shooting. Bail set at $2 million
Wearing a gray striped jail uniform and wrist shackles, Zella Latrice Holmes quietly pleaded not guilty Tuesday to murder and related charges in the fatal shooting of her longtime partner at a Ceres motel.
Atwater resident Holmes, 40, appeared in Stanislaus County Superior Court for her arraignment before Judge Valli Israels. Prosecutors allege she shot and killed Franklin Martin, 38, also of Atwater, on Sept. 25 inside a room at the Howard Johnson Inn on Herndon Road.
Deputy District Attorney Harshan Samra asked the court to set bail at $2 million, which Israels granted. Holmes’ public defender, Donnell Snipes, told the judge he would defer any bail arguments to a later hearing.
Holmes also waived her right to a speedy preliminary hearing. The case is scheduled to return to court for an early case management conference Dec. 1 at 8:30 a.m.
According to the criminal complaint, Holmes is charged with murder with premeditation and a firearm enhancement, two counts of child endangerment and felony evasion. Prosecutors allege that she intentionally fired a handgun that killed Martin and that she later endangered a child while fleeing police.
Holmes was arrested after officers found Martin dead from a single gunshot wound in the motel. Police said she led officers on a pursuit into Ceres before being taken into custody in a Food 4 Less parking lot. A child in the vehicle was placed in Child Protective Services care.
After the hearing, Samra confirmed the charges and urged the public to share information.
“She’s charged with one count of homicide with premeditation and deliberation, two counts of child abuse and evading law enforcement,” Samra said. “If anybody has any information of Ms. Holmes on the 25th of this month, we would strongly encourage them to contact Detective Peterson.”
Samra declined to say whether the firearm recovered in the motel was linked to Holmes, citing the ongoing investigation.
Snipes, Holmes’ court-appointed public defender, offered a brief statement outside the courtroom: “We plead not guilty to all charges. I have no comments because I have not yet read the reports.”
Holmes remains in custody at the Stanislaus County jail.
