FRESNO, CA (KMJ) In his arraignment on Wednesday, 38-year-old Richard Joseph Lopez, pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the charge of murder.
The Fresno County District Attorney’s office alleges that Lopez committed felony murder, and used a knife in the crime that took place back in 2015.
Fresno Police say they believe victim, 66 year-old Kenton Haggard, was killed for being transgender.
Haggard was brutally stabbed in the neck in Central Fresno.
Lopez returns to jail where he’s starting a three-year sentence after being convicted this week of elder abuse.
If convicted of Haggard’s murder, Lopez could spend 26 years to life in prison.
He’ll be back in court on February 28th.
Click below to listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern.
