Zuniga Gets Closer to Setting Date For Jury Trial

SAN ANGELO, TX – Ricky Ray Zuniga appeared in court yesterday morning as his pre-jury trial for capital murder continued. During the hearing his newly appointed lawyer, Kirk Hawkins, and District Attorney Allison Palmer, both explained to the judge that they needed additional time to prepare for Zuniga's trial as another capital murder case will be commencing during the middle of summer.

State Attorney Palmer said she will be involved with another trial with a Isidrio Delacruz during the last week of July and as a prosecutor for both capital murder cases, she requested to the court that an additional pre-trial be set for August for Zuniga in order to allow the new defense council to meet and confer with the client and to provide her office the time to create a plausible timeline for which to begin trial. Zuniga’s trial date is expected to be set at the August hearing.

Zuniga is currently out on a $100,000 bond after a police investigation led authorities to charge him with capital murder after the death of two males on Rio Grande Street in September of last year. According to an affidavit released by the SAPD, Zuniga had driven to the scene of the crime on the night of the murder, with the other codefendants, however, after an altercation between the two parties, a gun was fired. Zuniga then exited the house and made his way to his car. According to his testimony, a man named Raymond Alvarado was in possession of a gun and used it to shoot the two victims. Zuniga told police that he knew they had gone to the house to steal from one of the victims. 

Zuniga decided to change lawyers after the districts attorney’s office decided to not pursue the death penalty in his case. Zuniga's previous attorney had been a Regional Public Defender for Public Cases. After the status of the charge changed he was granted the right to another public defender.

One of the issues addressed during the plea hearing yesterday morning were the conditions  to be set forth for Zuniga when he  is on bond.  According to Judge Woodward there are two existing conditions that made his release on bail possible including staying in Tom Green County at all times and staying away from the people related to the cases that had been listed by the district attorney’s office.

Additionally, Zuniga’s lawyer requested permission for Zuniga to leave the Tom Green county  line during normal work hours in order to fulfill his current job requirements. Judge Woodward explained that Concho Bail Bonds, who had supplied the bond, would have to be in accordance with that request as well as the state. The D.A. then explained that she saw Zuniga's request to leave the county as a risk, especially considering the charge and the range of punishment for this crime. Judge Woodward then stated it would be up to the bondsman to decide if they would continue to finance the bond if new conditions were added. Judge Woodward did appear apprehensive in allowing the conditions of Zuniga's bond release to be changed.

2 p.m. Pre-Trials: Contributed by Cameron Niblock 

Yesterday afternoon, Richard Michael Valadez and Emilio Cortez appeared before the 391st District Court. Both are currently charged with  Aggravated Sexual Assault charges.

Valadez, 46, was charged with two counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child and one count of Indecency with a Child by a Texas Grand Jury on Sep. 13, 2016. His bound totaled $140,000.

Valadez's indictment reads that he, “[Caused] the sexual organ of a child, who was younger than 14, to contact the mouth of the Defendant.” 

Additionally, Cortez, 55, was charged by a Texas Grand Jury on Sep. 21st, 2010, for sexually assaulting a child under the age of fourteen. His bound was set at $25,000.

The indictment reads that Cortez, “[Caused] the male sexual organ to contact the female sexual organ of a child under the age of 14.”   

Valadez and Cortez both appeared before the Honorable Judge Brad Goodwin, and were scheduled for their next court hearings.

LIVE! will provide updates on these trials as the information becomes available.