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A California judge has released a second murder suspect without requiring a cent in bail to be posted, just weeks after freeing another accused killer.
Agustin Sandoval and Vicente Aguilera-Chavez were both charged with murder in connection with a June 8, 2017, shooting that left a 21-year-old dead and a 24-year-old injured, according to KTVU. The Sunnyvale, California, nightclub parking lot shooting was allegedly gang-related and resulted in the death of 21-year-old Edu Veliz-Salgado, according to Mercury News.
The case went cold until 2024, when detectives with the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety identified the suspects in 2024. Both men were charged with the murder of Salgado, but a spokesman for the Santa Clara County District Attorney told Fox News Digital that Sandoval was the driver of the car that shots were fired from.
During a court hearing on Friday, Judge Hector Ramon released Sandoval on his own recognizance, meaning he does not have to pay bail, the spokesman said.
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Agustin Sandoval was charged with murder in the death of Edu Veliz-Salgado. (Sunnyvale DPS)
Aguilera was also charged with murder. Ramon released him during an Oct. 31 hearing.
Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen told Fox News Digital that two accused murderers are now roaming through the community.
“It was bad enough that an accused murderer with a violent past was let out of custody, now there are two. The odds of re-offense or fleeing from justice just doubled. People’s lives ride on those odds,” Rosen said.
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A California judge released Vicente Aguilera on his own recognizance. (Sunnyvale DPS)
Rosen said he was “shocked” by Ramon’s initial decision to release Aguilera.
“This is an individual who not only committed a murder, who’s not only been to prison once, but has been to a prison twice, and is a documented gang member, this is a dangerous person, and I’m the district attorney and as the chief law enforcement officer, my job is to protect this community’s safety,” Rosen said. “This person is absolutely a danger to our community.”
“I think that there’s a range in which judges can make decisions that are reasonable and reasonable people can disagree. The reason I’m speaking out about this case is this is not a reasonable decision. This is outside the bounds of what’s acceptable and it’s dangerous to the public,” he added.
BLUE STATE JUDGE RELEASES MURDER SUSPECT WITHOUT MAKING HIM PAY A CENT IN BAIL, DESPITE GANG ALLEGATIONS
Edu Veliz-Salgado, 21, was shot and killed in 2017, officials said. (Facebook/Berenice Salgado)
The district attorney’s office also said it tried to get Ramon to change his mind about the decision to release Aguilera, but was unsuccessful.
“The court is gambling he does not pose a risk to public safety because he has not been arrested for the last few years,” the DA’s office said in the filing asking Ramon to reconsider Aguilera’s release. “The court should give equal weight to his criminal history … and the fact that he brazenly murdered a stranger in front of a crowd because the stranger was drunk and mouthing off.”
According to The Mercury News, Deputy Alternate Defender Kristin Carter, who represents Sandoval, argued in court that her client “hasn’t committed a felony and hasn’t hurt anyone” since the alleged murder.
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Aerial shot of residential streets in Sunnyvale, California on a sunny day in spring. Sunnyvale lies between San Jose and Cupertino in Santa Clara County and is part of Silicon Valley. (Getty Images)
Deputy Public Defender Jennifer Redding, Aguilera’s defense attorney, filed the motion seeking his release from pre-trial custody in October and said that her client wasn’t involved in the shooting and has strong ties to the community.
“There is no evidence that Mr. Aguilera, especially with (supervised release) conditions, would present any risk of bodily harm to others,” Redding wrote. “Mr. Aguilera is motivated to clear his name. … There is no compelling interest in detaining Mr. Aguilera on public safety grounds or out of concern he is a flight risk.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Sandoval’s attorney and to court administrators for comment.