A witness who was a pre-teen on the night of Sacramento’s deadliest shooting is expected to continue his testimony Thursday in connection with the murder trial.Six people died, and 12 more were injured on April 3, 2022, after gunfire broke out along the K Street corridor. Arrested in connection were Mtula Payton, Dandrae Martin and Smiley Martin. However, Smiley died in 2024 while in custody.The remaining defendants face murder and weapons charges.Prosecutors are trying to convince jurors that three innocent women died following a gang-related confrontation, while the defense is looking to prove that the shootout was unplanned and that a tense conversation spiraled into violence.Wednesday’s trial proceedings ended with a 16-year-old whose initials are RC. He was 12 years old and selling hot dogs the night of the shooting. He was recalling what he saw that night, including a man who flashed a gun at him.RC is likely to continue his testimony when court resumes at 9 a.m.Trial updates on May 14Find live updates below as they occurTrial highlights from May 13A conversation turns sourBoth the defense and the prosecution asked RR about an interaction he had with a group of people who approached him while he was waiting in line for District 30, a nightclub with a strict dress code. RR said he now believes this was Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi, Smiley and Dandrae Martin, and an unnamed woman. Hoye-Lucchesi was killed in the shooting, and the Martin brothers were arrested in connection. Dandrae Martin, along with Mtula Payton are the defendants in this trial. Smiley Martin died while in custody in 2024. RR said he did not know anyone’s name at the time and only learned them from seeing news coverage later.RR noted he was initially on guard because the men were wearing black hoodies at night. RR described the interaction as beginning positively as Hoye-Lucchesi complimented his outfit and warned that he wouldn’t get into the club, so he shouldn’t bother with the wait. However, it soured as the woman made a comment RR described as antagonistic and aggressive, prompting him to disengage. The prosecution drilled down on this and RR agreed that it was possible that she was trying to get him into a fight with the men she was with.Tension over witness’ phone call with detectiveBoth sides also dug into a phone call between RR and Sacramento Police Department Detective Shaun McGovern, with the prosecution playing clips from the conversation throughout their examination. RR said the phone call was weeks after the shooting and he was only calling because he was seeking victim aid for a dislocated shoulder he sustained during the shooting.During the prosecution’s examination, RR confirmed that it was him in the recording but said he did not remember the specifics of the conversation. However, when the defense verbally described the transcript later in the day, noting that McGovern was repeating the same questions over and over, RR agreed with the majority of their assertions. The prosecution’s attorney took issue with this change, but RR stood by his responses. He said he was only answering honestly but took issue with the way the prosecution was asking him questions – he said he felt he was being accused of something.Young witness said he saw a man flash a gunThe jurors were shown surveillance camera footage of 12-year-old RC on the corner of 10th and K Street, and the teen confirmed it was him and his hot dog cart in the video. Prosecution asked what the mood of the night was and RC said it like any other as he offered the food to club-goers hanging around after the bars closed. RC noted there was an argument taking place nearby but that was not unusual.That tone changed when he asked a man walking by if he wanted a hot dog and the man lifted his shirt to flash a black pistol, according to the testimony. Shortly after, the video footage shows people briefly scattering, RC among them. He said he was scared there would be shots fired after seeing the gun and hid near the van his aunt had driven them to the area in, abandoning his cart. When nothing occurred, he said he spotted people stealing his hot dogs and he went to retrieve the cart. Shortly after was when the shooting began.The six killed in the K Street shootingThe three victims are 21-year-old Johntaya “JoJo” Alexander, 57-year-old Melinda Davis, and 21-year-old Yamile Martinez-Andrade.The other three people who died were 29-year-old DeVazia Turner, 38-year-old Sergio Harris and 32-year-old Joshua Hoye-Lucchessi. They are not considered victims because of a California law that does not consider them one if they participate in a shooting that injures or kills someone.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
A witness who was a pre-teen on the night of Sacramento’s deadliest shooting is expected to continue his testimony Thursday in connection with the murder trial.
Six people died, and 12 more were injured on April 3, 2022, after gunfire broke out along the K Street corridor. Arrested in connection were Mtula Payton, Dandrae Martin and Smiley Martin. However, Smiley died in 2024 while in custody.
The remaining defendants face murder and weapons charges.
Prosecutors are trying to convince jurors that three innocent women died following a gang-related confrontation, while the defense is looking to prove that the shootout was unplanned and that a tense conversation spiraled into violence.
Wednesday’s trial proceedings ended with a 16-year-old whose initials are RC. He was 12 years old and selling hot dogs the night of the shooting. He was recalling what he saw that night, including a man who flashed a gun at him.
RC is likely to continue his testimony when court resumes at 9 a.m.
Trial updates on May 14
Find live updates below as they occur
Trial highlights from May 13A conversation turns sour
Both the defense and the prosecution asked RR about an interaction he had with a group of people who approached him while he was waiting in line for District 30, a nightclub with a strict dress code. RR said he now believes this was Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi, Smiley and Dandrae Martin, and an unnamed woman. Hoye-Lucchesi was killed in the shooting, and the Martin brothers were arrested in connection. Dandrae Martin, along with Mtula Payton are the defendants in this trial. Smiley Martin died while in custody in 2024. RR said he did not know anyone’s name at the time and only learned them from seeing news coverage later.
RR noted he was initially on guard because the men were wearing black hoodies at night. RR described the interaction as beginning positively as Hoye-Lucchesi complimented his outfit and warned that he wouldn’t get into the club, so he shouldn’t bother with the wait. However, it soured as the woman made a comment RR described as antagonistic and aggressive, prompting him to disengage. The prosecution drilled down on this and RR agreed that it was possible that she was trying to get him into a fight with the men she was with.
Tension over witness’ phone call with detective
Both sides also dug into a phone call between RR and Sacramento Police Department Detective Shaun McGovern, with the prosecution playing clips from the conversation throughout their examination. RR said the phone call was weeks after the shooting and he was only calling because he was seeking victim aid for a dislocated shoulder he sustained during the shooting.
During the prosecution’s examination, RR confirmed that it was him in the recording but said he did not remember the specifics of the conversation. However, when the defense verbally described the transcript later in the day, noting that McGovern was repeating the same questions over and over, RR agreed with the majority of their assertions. The prosecution’s attorney took issue with this change, but RR stood by his responses. He said he was only answering honestly but took issue with the way the prosecution was asking him questions – he said he felt he was being accused of something.
Young witness said he saw a man flash a gun
The jurors were shown surveillance camera footage of 12-year-old RC on the corner of 10th and K Street, and the teen confirmed it was him and his hot dog cart in the video. Prosecution asked what the mood of the night was and RC said it like any other as he offered the food to club-goers hanging around after the bars closed. RC noted there was an argument taking place nearby but that was not unusual.
That tone changed when he asked a man walking by if he wanted a hot dog and the man lifted his shirt to flash a black pistol, according to the testimony. Shortly after, the video footage shows people briefly scattering, RC among them. He said he was scared there would be shots fired after seeing the gun and hid near the van his aunt had driven them to the area in, abandoning his cart. When nothing occurred, he said he spotted people stealing his hot dogs and he went to retrieve the cart. Shortly after was when the shooting began.
The six killed in the K Street shooting
The three victims are 21-year-old Johntaya “JoJo” Alexander, 57-year-old Melinda Davis, and 21-year-old Yamile Martinez-Andrade.
The other three people who died were 29-year-old DeVazia Turner, 38-year-old Sergio Harris and 32-year-old Joshua Hoye-Lucchessi. They are not considered victims because of a California law that does not consider them one if they participate in a shooting that injures or kills someone.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google