San Diego
A transient who lived in Balboa Park pleaded innocent Friday to murdering and robbing a man in the park last week.
Javier Garcia Gutierrez, 19, a Mexican citizen, was ordered held in County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail.
He is charged with killing Franklin James Black, 34, on July 5 and robbing him of his wallet.
San Diego Municipal Judge John Thompson set a preliminary hearing for Aug. 3.
Deputy Dist. Atty. Dave Lattuca said five other Mexican nationals arrested with Garcia were being detained in the Metropolitan Correctional Center as material witnesses. They may be prosecuted on charges of entering the United States illegally.
Lattuca said little is known about the victim, except that he lived in Hillcrest and was considered disabled. When he was attacked, he was wearing only jogging shorts and red tennis shoes.
Black was stabbed in the arm. The wound severed an artery and he bled to death.
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