Central Fresno man pleads not guilty to killing neighbor in city's 22nd murder this year

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Accused slayer John Gentry appeared successful a reddish jumpsuit connected Monday arsenic helium stood earlier a justice connected 1 number of execution for the decease of his neighbor, Mark Tarasevic, past week.

"Enter not blameworthy pleas astatine this time, denying each allegations," Public Defender Tina Wong said.

Crime country portion remains disposable adjacent the 74-year-old's Central Fresno home.

Police were called to Clinton Avenue and Bond Street past Tuesday for a study of a gunshot, and investigators accidental Tarasevic aboriginal died from a azygous slug to the precocious body.

They branded it a "neighbor disturbance."

"Was it an statement betwixt the two?" Action News Legal Analyst Tony Capozzi said. "Did the unfortunate person a gun, and was this self-defense?"

Capozzi is present raising questions arsenic constabulary accidental they recovered the execution weapon.

"What needs to beryllium recovered retired oregon determined is did the constabulary bash (a) gunshot residue (test) of this defendant?" Capozzi said. "Did they cheque his hands? Did it comparison to the weapon that was found? Can we amusement that that weapon was utilized successful this peculiar incident?"

Gentry asked for a hold connected Monday, pushing backmost the captious preliminary proceeding erstwhile prosecutors volition marque their case.

"Your lawyer had indicated that you volition beryllium waving the 10-court-day rule, but not the 60-court-day rule. Did you perceive your lawyer accidental that?" Fresno County Superior Court Judge Robert Mangano said.

"Yes," Gentry answered.

"(It was) a precise omniscient prime by the defence lawyer to waive the 10-day bounds for the preliminary hearing," Capozzi told Action News. "The constabulary reports are astir apt not done. It's the vacation season. It's going to instrumentality time."

With the probe inactive underway, Gentry is ordered backmost to tribunal connected January 22 and again connected February 5.

He remains successful the Fresno County Jail connected a $1.5 cardinal bail.

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