Bakersfield man ordered to trial in girlfriend’s death

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A judge on Friday found there was sufficient evidence to order Ricardo Valles Jr. to stand trial on a charge of first-degree murder filed in the death of his girlfriend.

Valles, 40, is accused of killing Crystal Acevedo, 36, who was found badly injured in her apartment on Aug. 4. She was taken to Kern Medical, where she died Aug. 8.

Valles is being held without bail and is due back in court Sept. 3, when a trial date will be set.

Court documents detailed the evidence gathered against Valles, who has a lengthy criminal history.

An investigator who testified at Friday’s preliminary hearing said he attended Acevedo’s autopsy and learned she had multiple bruises on the left side of her face from her cheek to her head, the inside of her lips were bruised and swollen, and there was bruising to both arms and on her back.

The investigator testified the forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy said Acevedo suffered torn blood vessels at the top of her brain, causing bleeding on the brain. The pathologist said a fall wouldn’t cause that type injury, but a blow to the head could, the investigator said.

The pathologist ruled Acevedo died of blunt head trauma and her death was a homicide.

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