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Before then-17-year-old Joe Perez allegedly shot and killed 40-year-old Carlos Martinez last May, the two had shouted words at one another from across the street near the older man's Magna home.
Martinez had called the teenager a "chap" — a slur that in gang-associated circles was "the worst thing you can get called" — 19-year-old Skyler Burnasconi testified Friday during a preliminary hearing for Perez, who is charged with first-degree felony murder and other crimes related to Martinez's death.
Burnasconi said Friday that Perez, now 18, had asked him to drive him and another man to Martinez's home, near 3800 S. Armoridge Drive (8180 West) on the evening of May 4, 2014.
"He just felt like that he was disrespected a little bit," Burnasconi said about Perez's earlier conflict with Martinez. "He didn't do what he needed to do to get back at them."
Burnasconi — who said Friday that he was an "associate," but not a member, of a Nortenos gang subset — said he thought there would be a fistfight. But he said he was surprised when Perez got out of the car, pointed a handgun at Martinez — who was standing outside of his home — and squeezed the trigger at least five times.
Martinez was struck twice in the back, according to testimony, and later died at a local hospital.
"I was in shock," Burnasconi said. "I was really, really confused at the time. I just wanted to drop [Perez and the other man] off wherever they wanted to go and just go home as fast as possible."
After hearing testimony from Burnasconi and several others, 3rd District Judge Randall Skanchy ordered Perez to stand trial on the murder charge, along with two counts of felony discharge of a firearm with serious bodily injury, a first-degree felony; obstruction of justice, a second-degree felony; and six counts of felony discharge of a firearm, a second-degree felony.
Martinez's daughter, Devanie Martinez, testified Friday that she saw her father yelling at two teenagers earlier on the day before the shooting.
"He was saying that they were staring at the house," she testified. "I told him to leave them alone, they are little kids. ... They started walking down the street and I told my dad to leave them alone."
The daughter testified that her father was associated with a rival Surenos subset, but was not an active member at the time of the shooting.
It took several months for police to make an arrest in the murder. Burnasconi said he was initially arrested for Martinez's murder in December 2014, but was released and has not been charged with a crime. Perez was charged with the slaying in June.
Unified Police Detective Kevin Barrett testified Friday that in the days after the shooting, Perez had messaged several people on Facebook showing off a new chest tattoo, saying he "earned" it.
"Blood must be spilled," Barrett said. "Someone must be hurt or killed before they can get that tattoo."
Perez is expected to be in court again Nov. 2.