Man Charged With Murder Pleads For Lower Bond Charges to Visit Theme Parks

BROWNWOOD, TEXAS - A man facing homicide charges, from a 2014 murder in Brown County, told the court he would like to visit Six Flags and requested for his $500,000 bond to be reduced.

The state district judge for Brown County denied the motion.

Michael John Zarate, 33, appeared in court this past week where his court-appointed attorney, Tommy Adams, argued that Zarate’s bonds for Murder and Tampering with Evidence should be reduced, claiming they were “oppressive and unreasonably high.”

Police charged Zarate with the murder of Ernesto Gonzalez in November of 2014 as well as, tampering with evidence.

According to district court records, Zarate pleaded with the court to have his bonds reduced. Zarate currently faces a $500,000 bond charge for the murder of Gonzalez.  Zarate pleaded with the courts to reduce the $500,000 bond to $50,000. Zarate also faces a $100,000 bond charge for Tampering with Evidence. During his trial, Zarate pleaded with the Judge to reduce the second bond charge of $100,000 to $25,000.

Zarate told the court he would like to go on vacation to Six Flags and Cedar Point, an amusement park in Ohio, if released, but 35th Judicial District Judge Stephen Ellis cited public safety concerns in denying the motion.

Zarate revealed that he is originally from Ohio but moved to Brownwood in 2008. Court records show that  Zarate has previously been arrested in Ohio for several alcohol-related charges in 2003.

Furthermore, Zarate was also charged in November of 2013 with Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child and Indecency with a Child in July of 2013, according to court documents.

Prosecutors argued to Judge Ellis that Zarate was out on bond at the time for the child sex crime charges when he allegedly killed Gonzales.

Zarate remains in jail on bonds totaling $650,000, read Brown County Jail records.

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