A woman who survived a brutal 2024 attack testified Thursday about the moments she watched her boyfriend killed, as prosecutors worked to convince a judge there is enough evidence to send a Fresno murder case to trial.<\/p>\n
Jonathan Navarro is charged with murder and attempted murder in the attack on his ex-girlfriend, Brianna Marquez, and her boyfriend, Devin McNew. Prosecutors allege Navarro attacked the couple in the summer of 2024, killing McNew and seriously injuring Marquez.<\/p>\n
During a preliminary hearing in Fresno County Superior Court, Marquez provided graphic testimony describing the violence she said unfolded before her.<\/p>\n
“What did the defendant do with the shovel?” a prosecutor asked.<\/p>\n
“He started to dig it into Devin’s throat,” Marquez testified.<\/p>\n
According to prosecutors, Marquez and McNew had gone to return some of Navarro’s belongings when the attack occurred.<\/p>\n
Marquez told the court that after the initial assault, Navarro produced a knife and turned his attention to McNew.<\/p>\n
“He stands over us for a second, and he kneels down, and he has a knife, and he stabs Devon right in the chest, right in front of me,” she testified.<\/p>\n
She also described pleading for her life during the attack, urging Navarro to consider their daughter.<\/p>\n
“I’m begging him not to. I’m begging him that our daughter needs one of us. Please don’t do this, and he’s just standing over me,” Marquez said.<\/p>\n
The hearing is intended to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to require Navarro to stand trial on the charges.<\/p>\n
The court also heard from a neighbor who rushed outside after witnessing the aftermath.<\/p>\n
“Can you tell us what the first thing it was that you saw?” a prosecutor asked witness Bruce Addison.<\/p>\n
“I saw a woman with a laceration on her head and blood all over the front of her,” Addison replied.<\/p>\n
Addison testified that he and others attempted to intervene, describing Navarro as unresponsive to their efforts.<\/p>\n
“He had him by the throat with his left hand, and he was squeezing. We were trying to pull him off, and he wasn’t responding,” Addison said.<\/p>\n
At another point, Addison described Navarro’s demeanor during the incident as being like a “zombie,” testifying that even after being punched in the face, Navarro appeared unfazed.<\/p>\n
The preliminary hearing is expected to continue Friday with additional testimony. Once the hearing concludes, a judge will decide whether Navarro will be ordered to stand trial on the murder and attempted murder charges.<\/p>\n
For news updates, follow Vincent Camarillo on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n