Salcido Enters Not Guilty Plea in 7 Slayings

Winery worker Ramon Salcido, looking more grim than he did upon his arrest, pleaded not guilty Friday to charges he murdered seven people, including his wife and two children.

Authorities beefed up security for the proceeding to levels not before seen in Sonoma County. But there were no demonstrations as there were when he was arrested last month and residents massed outside the jail and chanted, “Kill Salcido.”

Salcido, 28, wore a red jail jumpsuit and bullet-proof vest. He was guarded by eight deputies. He spoke little during the brief appearance before Municipal Judge Knoel Owens, who set a Sept. 11 preliminary hearing and said a gag order would remain in place.

Chief Deputy Dist. Atty. Peter Bumerts requested the gag order, saying he is concerned bout an anticipated request by Sonoma County Public Defender Marteen Miller to have the case moved from Sonoma County because of heavy news media attention. Miller has indicated that he would attempt to use insanity as a defense.

Under 24-Hour Watch

Salcido is housed in an isolation cell, under a 24-hour watch. He has been kept isolated from other prisoners since his April 20 arrival.

Inmates at the jail collected $900 during two “days of peace” for his surviving daughter, Carmina, 3. She was found in a dump, her throat slashed, two days after the rampage.

“I’ve had enough of violence, and what was done to her was pure evil,” said Gabriel Menjou, 42, serving time at the Sonoma County Jail on a forgery conviction. “I wanted her to know that men don’t have to be mean and cruel but to know that they can be loving, kind and caring.”

Salcido is charged with the April 14 murders of his wife, Angela, 24; two daughters, Sofia, 4, and Teresa, 1; his mother-in-law, Marian Louise Richards, 42; Angela’s two sisters, Ruth, 12, and Maria, 8, and a co-worker at the Grand Cru winery, Tracy Toovey, 35.

The crimes occurred at four locations: the winery, Salcido’s low-rent duplex in Boyes Hot Springs, Richards’ home in Cotati and the dump site.