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Martinez Man Arrested in Fatal Stabbing of 68-Year-Old Neighbor

Surveillance footage linked the suspect to the Aug. 6 killing after court records showed he had been recently released on his own recognizance.

Overview

  • Police found 68-year-old Todd Stewart fatally stabbed outside his Francis Court home after multiple 911 calls about the attack on Thursday evening.
  • Investigators say clear surveillance video shows a man putting on a mask and tactical vest, stabbing Stewart several times, and fleeing in a gray Cadillac SUV.
  • Authorities arrested 36-year-old Marcos Iriarte-Valdez at a Martinez residence and booked him on suspicion of murder with bail set at about $1.1 million.
  • Police and records show Iriarte-Valdez had been awaiting trial on separate Orinda burglary charges, was taken into custody for an alleged home-detention violation on Aug. 4, and was released on his own recognizance on Aug. 5.
  • Detectives have not disclosed a motive or whether the suspect and victim knew each other and they continue to probe the case while neighbors describe Stewart as a longtime, well-liked community member.