Details Surface In Deadly Christmas Eve Stabbing At Hayward Target Store
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- As the two suspects in a fatal stabbing at a Hayward Target store on Christmas Eve were preparing for their arraignment Thursday afternoon, members of their family were speaking out in their defense.
Jesse Archuleta, 25, and Frankie Archuleta, 22, both of Hayward, were charged in Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland Wednesday afternoon for the death of Hayward resident Tyrone Griffin.
The district attorney's criminal complaint states that Griffin got into a verbal argument with the Archuleta brothers at the Target store on Whipple Road in Hayward at about 8 p.m. on Saturday.
A witness said Griffin asked the suspects to turn down some inappropriate music they were playing on their cell phones in front of his children in the toy section.
At some point the argument turned physical. During the physical altercation, the victim grabbed a wine bottle off a shelf and hit Frankie Archuleta with it.
The victim was then stabbed three times in the upper torso and his arm. The fight and fatal stabbing all happened in front of Griffin's four-year-old son. Both of the suspects fled the scene on foot and were later found by police hiding behind Dumpster at a Motel 6.
Griffin was taken to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, where he was pronounced dead more than two half hours later, according to police.
As they were taken into custody by police, Jesse Archuleta stated he did committed the act and was defending himself.
The suspects' sister showed up to the courthouse Thursday morning to support her brothers.
"My brothers are good men. They wouldn't attack someone for no reason," said Destiny Archuleta. "I know people will judge by the way they look and what they hear."
The sister claimed that her two brothers had to have been provoked to act the way they did.
"My brothers are family men stay home they go to work they have their own children. This wasn't a random attack," she said. "They'd never attack anyone like this, and I can say that from the bottom of my heart."
The victim's wife Nicole Simmons also showed up to the courthouse Thursday morning. She said she plans to attend every court hearing to make sure justice is served. She doesn't believe her husband started the fight.
"I don't believe he would've started that with my son there," said Simmons. "He was always protective of my son and where would champagne bottle show up in the toy aisle? Guess we'll see when the video gets out."
The video Simmons referred to is the surveillance video from the Target store. Investigators are reviewing it and talking to witnesses.
Frankie and Jesse Archuleta waived their right to appear in court Thursday afternoon.
Alameda County Superior Court Judge Armando Cuellar ordered them to appear at the Hayward Hall of Justice on Jan. 6 to possibly enter pleas at that time.
The Archuleta brothers are being held without bail at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.