Bay City News
San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas said Friday that a man accused of arson for allegedly setting fire to a mobile home park last month in Stockton that left a woman and two children dead could potentially face the death penalty.
Jose Carmen Cardona, 59, was arrested without incident Thursday in Modesto at a bus stop where authorities believe he was allegedly attempting to flee the countrry.
Although he is set to be arraigned Monday inside a Stockton courtroom, the complaint filed in the case says he is charged with five counts, three counts of willful, deliberate, premediated murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of child abuse and endangerment.
Additionally, three special circumstances were filed: committing multiple murders, arson and torture.
"These allegations make the defendant eligible for the death penalty," Freitas said at a news conference.
Cardona became the suspect of an investigation in connection with the death of Lisbeth Gutierrez, 32, Julian Dejesus Cardona Gutierrez, 10, and Juan Jose Gutierrez Salazar, 6, who were killed June 25 while they were asleep in a five-wheel trailer.
Present inside the lobby of the District Attorney's Office while the news conference took place were family members of the woman and children killed.
Freitas said although the family was asking for privacy at the moment, they did demand justice for their family members.
"Our deepest sympathies go to the victims and family members of this horrendous crime," Freitas said.
Lasha Boyden, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of California, who was in attendance at the news conference, also offered her condolences to the family.
"I'm so sorry for your loss and I hope that the capture of this violent offender will bring some sense of justice to you and your loved ones," Boyden said. "This horrific act of violence was felt by all not just in the Central Valley but across our nation."
At 6:38 a.m. on the day of the fire, the Stockton Fire Department responded to the area of Visalia Court and Harbor Street regarding a trailer that was engulfed in flames.
Arson investigators alleged that fire accelerants were found at the scene.
Freitas said while firefighters were battling the blaze, they discovered the body of the woman and children.
He revealed that a 13-year-old child was able to escape the flames and ultimately survived.
Freitas said Cardona and Gutierrez were in a dating relationship, but the children were not his biologically.
Following the fire, Cardona had fled the scene, resulting in what the U.S. Marshals Service called a nationwide manhunt.
Boyden said her team and other agencies worked countless hours to arrest Cardona and even traveled across several states.
According to police, Cardona had multiple aliases, including Jose Carmona-Estrada, Roberto Giron-Giron, Felipe Ramirez Leon, Juan Alonzo-Alemndares, Juan Alonzo, Jose Avilla Cardona and Andres Vecerra Torres.
Boyden said a tip from a citizen led to the arrest of the suspect.
Cardona is expected to appear in court Monday at 1:30 p.m. in Stockton.
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