A 44-year-old father has been identified as the person fatally wounded in a stabbing Sunday night in Santa Maria, and his alleged assailant has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge.
Officers and other emergency personnel were dispatched shortly after 9:30 p.m. to an apartment on the 300 block of East McElhany Street, said Lt. Daniel Rios of the Santa Maria Police Department.
They found a victim with stab wounds, and rendered medical aid.
The patient was transported to Marian Regional Medical Center, where he later was pronounced dead, Rios said.
On Tuesday afternoon, detectives released the victim’s name as Evaristo Ortiz Cortez, 44, of Santa Maria.
A GoFundMe page,”Help Us Honor the Memory of Our Beloved Dad,” has been started to assist the family with funeral expenses.
“My family and I are devastated as we face an unimaginable loss,” the site says. “My dad was attacked as we were about to go to sleep, and tragically taken from us in our home this past weekend.
“My dad was the heart of our family; he was kind and selfless, always giving so much of himself to others. Our home was filled with laughter, joy, and encouragement because of him. His passing has left an irreplaceable void in our lives.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, the site had raised more than $6,450.
“As we try to heal and honor his memory, we are asking for any form of support, whether through prayers, kind words, or contributions toward funeral expenses. Every gesture, no matter how small, means the world to us,” the family wrote on the fundraising site.
Officers arrested a suspect, Gustavo Hernandez, 59, after locating him at a nearby residence.
On Wednesday, Hernandez pleaded not guilty in Santa Maria Superior Court to a charge of murder and special allegations including for using a deadly weapon, identified as a knife, to commit the homicide.
The case will return to court at 8:30 a.m. June 5 to Department 8 in Santa Maria.
Hernandez remained in the custody of the Santa Barbara County Jail with bail set at $2 million.
This case is still under investigation, police said.
The Santa Maria Police Department is requesting anyone with information contact Detective Juan Rubio, at 805.928.3781, exttension 1682.