Deliveryman Pleads Not Guilty in Slaying

A Lancaster man pleaded not guilty Monday in Ventura County Superior Court to a charge of first-degree murder in connection with the death of a Moorpark grocery clerk killed during a robbery last May.

John Charles Alvez, 22, faces a Sept. 30 jury trial.

Prosecutors allege that Alvez shot and killed Marco Aurelio Rodriguez, a 21-year-old clerk who was working at his family’s Carniceria Rodriguez butcher shop in Moorpark.

Alvez worked as a deliveryman, and was responsible for bringing spices to the meat shop on a weekly basis. Prosecutors say that he knew Rodriguez from making the deliveries. Rodriguez was working behind the cash register on May 4, moments before the robbery.

Police said they found more than $1,000 in Alvez’s possession at the time of his arrest--money they believe he stole from the family butcher shop.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys have scheduled a pretrial conference Sept. 20. A five-day jury trial will begin 10 days later if no plea bargain is reached.

Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury announced earlier this month that he would not seek the death penalty against Alvez, who had no criminal record prior to his arrest.