A 20-year-old man pleaded not guilty in the death of 38-year-old Michael Walker who died after a stray bullet entered his apartment and killed him.
Manuula Save was arraigned Wednesday in a San Diego Courtroom. A judge entered a non-guilty plea on his behalf.
According to the prosecutor, Save was allegedly arguing with his brother in an adjacent apartment when the shot was fired.
Prosecutors said the two brothers got into a fight around 1:45 a.m. Saturday morning. The defendant threw a lamp at his brother, and then ended up in a bedroom where Save fired a shot into the bedroom wall ultimately hitting Walker in the stomach as he slept. Walker was rushed to Pomerado Hospital by his wife and died there.
“They wrestled, and the physical fight ended. The brother sat down on a bed located in that bedroom. The defendant retrieved a firearm and fired in the direction of his brother to scare him and show his brother he wasn’t scared of him,” said Deputy District Attorney Kristie Nikoletich.
According to court documents obtained by NBC 7, Save was on probation for a 2017 hit-and-run incident that killed an elderly woman. He was not supposed to have a gun as part of that probation.
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Michael Walker’s wife, Christina, attended the arraignment and could be heard crying. She provided no comment. Save’s family also attended and did not comment.
The judge called Save a threat to the community and ordered him held on a $3 million bail. He is facing life in prison if convicted.
Friends have set up a GoFundMe page for Walker's family to help with funeral costs.
