Police Suspect Family Feud In Fatal Modesto Stabbing
MODESTO (CBS13) - A real-life family feud left one person dead, and led police to zero in on some unlikely suspects.
Neighbors say a 55-year-old man was stabbed on the steps of his home in the Redwood Apartments on Yosemite Boulevard, say police. But what's unusual is how the suspect escaped.
"Thought maybe he had red paint on his pants, and it turned out it was something other than that," neighbor James Stockdale said.
Stockdale says he came face-to-face with the suspect, 50-year-old Francisco Gonzales, who was covered in blood.
"Had a lost look to his face -- never really would look up at me, and I asked him what was going on, and he wouldn't speak to me," said Stockdale.
He remembers the suspect well, saying the man had a prosthetic left leg. He watched him limp into the back of a waiting van that sped off from the Modesto apartment complex.
Here's the twist: police say it was actually the victim's family members who were driving the van, helping the suspect escape.
"Nope, we've got nothing for you guys," a family member said.
The victim died from his injuries at a hospital Saturday night. After the stabbing, police arrested Richard Gonzales, 26, and Jaime Bacca, 33, on suspicion of being accessories to murder for allegedly driving the suspect's getaway van.
The family didn't want to speak with CBS13 on Monday, but as you can imagine, rumors are flying. Neighbors think the deadly stabbing could be the result of a bizarre family feud
"I do know this was not a random crime," said Evelyn, a neighbor. "It is not gang-related or anything like that."
Modesto police have a pretty distinctive suspect. Because of the prosthetic left leg, they say Francisco walks with a pronounced limp. In addition to the prosthetic leg, the skin on his face has noticeable discoloration.
