Suspect accused of killing Martinez man had been recently released on his own recognizance

By Da Lin

A suspect accused of killing a Martinez man had been recently released on his own recognizance in connection with several burglary cases, police said.

The killing of 68-year-old Todd Stewart shocked and angered neighbors, some of whom said the homicide could have been prevented if the suspect had remained in custody.

Investigators arrested 36-year-old Marcos Iriarte-Valdez at his home Friday evening, according to Martinez police. There is clear surveillance video, police said, of the crime and surveillance footage of the getaway car, which they say matches a vehicle registered to Iriarte-Valdez.

Detectives also said the video captured who they believe is Iriarte-Valdez wearing a tactical vest before Stewart was stabbed Thursday around 5 p.m.

The homicide happened in front of Stewart’s home on Francis Court, where neighbor Galina Pasternak said Stewart had been building a shed when the suspect attacked him.

“I am angry. I’m sad,” Pasternak said. “I absolutely believe this murder could have been prevented.”

Police said Iriarte-Valdez was released twice before the killing.

According to police, Iriarte-Valdez was initially on pre-trial release in connection with residential burglaries in Orinda in April.  On Aug, 4, police re-arrested him for allegedly violating a home detention monitoring rule.

The following day, Aug. 5, a judge ordered Iriarte-Valdez released on his own recognizance. Police said Stewart was killed the next day.

Legal analyst Steven Clark said the circumstances raise questions about whether public safety is receiving enough consideration in decisions involving pretrial release.

“[He] violated the terms of his pretrial release. Yet, he was given a second chance, and now we have an alleged homicide. It’s cases like this that make people ask has the pendulum swung too wide the other direction and public safety is not being sufficiently considered?” Clark said.

Martinez police said the suspect and victim did not know each other. Detectives are investigating the motive for the killing.

Clark said judges often face difficult decisions when determining whether someone accused of a crime should remain in custody while awaiting trial.

“They are required to err on the side of the fact that this person has not been convicted of these charges, and should they stay in custody while they’re fighting their case. And the court has said you must try to find an option that keeps someone out of custody if you can. But in this case, certainly, the system seemed to fail the victim,” Clark said.

Pasternak said Stewart had lived in his Francis Court home for nearly four decades and was well known in the neighborhood for his kindness.

Stewart was a retired engineer who loved his family and playing golf, friends and neighbors said. Pasternak said she was relieved to learn that police had arrested a suspect but said the arrest could not undo the loss.

“I’m glad they caught him. I hope they got the right guy. Thank you for that. But it won’t bring Todd back. It won’t bring a husband to his wife.  It won’t bring a father to his daughters,” she said.

Stewart is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Iriarte-Valdez was booked into jail, with bail set at $1.1 million.