A 36-year-old man accused of fatally stabbing a Murrieta senior with a screwdriver, as well as trying to kill the homeowner’s wife in the same manner, pleaded not guilty Thursday to first-degree murder and other charges.
Manuel Arturo Alvarez of Modesto was arrested earlier this month following the alleged slaying of 70-year-old Robert Brink and the serious assault on his spouse, 72-year-old Cyndye Polsgrove. Alvarez was taken into custody within an hour of the alleged attack on Old Spring Road, near Dove Hollow Lane.
Along with murder, he’s charged with attempted murder, resisting arrest and two counts of brandishing a weapon not in self-defense, as well as sentence-enhancing allegations of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.
He was arraigned Thursday before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Judith Clark, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for Jan. 16 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.
The defendant is being held without bail at the Byrd Detention Center.
According to the Murrieta Police Department, shortly after 8 a.m. on Nov. 5, Brink and Polsgrove were in their residence in the 39600 block of Old Spring when Alvarez allegedly forced his way into the house.
Capt. Jeremy Durrant alleged the defendant was wielding a screwdriver and stabbed both victims, inflicting a mortal wound to the head of Brink. Polsgrove was seriously injured but managed to call 911 after the assailant fled out the back door, Durrant said.
He said Alvarez allegedly ran into a ravine before patrol officers converged on the location.
Polsgrove was taken to a regional trauma center for treatment of her wounds. Her husband was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
Officers immediately initiated a search for the defendant, deploying a K9 unit to find him, according to Durrant. Roughly a half-hour later, personnel “located the male in the ravine behind a nearby residence on Wild Flower Drive,” the captain said.
“The male failed to comply with officers’ commands and concealed himself in bushes,” he said. “After several minutes of unsuccessful attempts to gain compliance, the K-9 was deployed to assist in apprehending the male. He was quickly taken into custody.”
Alvarez suffered minor injuries during the confrontation with the canine and was treated before he was transported to jail. No officers were hurt, including the dog.
A possible motive for the attack was not disclosed.
Alvarez has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.
A fundraising campaign in support of the victims had raised $16,675 in donations as of Thursday afternoon.
The GoFundMe effort has a goal of $20,000. The account can be found at www.gofundme.com/f/supporting-a-survivor-after-a-tragic-home-invasion.
“I just want to thank everybody for the love and support,” Polsgrove said in a video message appended to the campaign page Tuesday. “It has meant so much to me that the community has reached out and supported and hugged me.”
In the video, she appeared in regular attire, not a hospital gown, and was sitting upright, with obvious trauma to her face.
Her family said she underwent surgery over a week ago and is on the road to recovery.