A probationer accused of torturing and killing a 39-year-old Jurupa Valley man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to first-degree murder and other charges.
Tavae Fernon Stalks Walker, 30, of Fontana was arrested earlier this month following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation into the death of Byron Graves.
Along with murder, Walker is charged with mayhem, torture and a special circumstance allegation of inflicting torture to commit murder.
The defendant was arraigned before Superior Court Judge Gail O’Rane, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for July 27 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.
Walker is being held without bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Ben Ramirez, on the night of May 7, the defendant was involved in an undisclosed dispute with the victim in the area of Harrel and Parkhurst streets in Jurupa Valley.
Investigators alleged that during the encounter, the defendant assaulted Graves for an unspecified period of time, causing mortal injuries, which weren’t described in court documents.
A possible motive was not disclosed.
Witnesses found the victim dead in a parked vehicle at about 11:45 p.m. on May 7 and called 911, Ramirez said.
He added that Central Homicide Unit detectives quickly developed leads pointing to Walker as the alleged assailant and notified surrounding law enforcement agencies.
Fontana police officers located and arrested the convicted felon without incident on Cherry Avenue on the afternoon of May 8, then turned him over to sheriff’s personnel, according to Ramirez.
Court records show that Walker has prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon and spousal abuse.