A 43-year-old San Francisco woman suspected of fatally shooting an 18-year-old Balboa High School student at San Francisco’s McLaren Park in May pleaded not guilty to murder and three counts of dissuading a witness today, a district attorney’s office spokesman said.
Silvia Lorena Montoya pleaded not guilty to murdering Jonathan Sauceda Caballero and to three counts of dissuading a witness, San Francisco District Attorney’s Office spokesman Alex Bastian said.
Caballero was found unconscious and bleeding from an apparent gunshot wound on a walking trail in the park just off John F. Shelley Drive at about 6:30 a.m. on May 31, police said.
Officers summoned an ambulance and rendered aid, but Caballero was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.
During the two-month-long investigation into the homicide, investigators developed probable cause to arrest Montoya.
She was taken into custody and booked into San Francisco County Jail on July 30 in connection with Caballero’s death. A possible motive for the homicide remains under investigation.
Montoya’s bail was set at $10 million and she is expected to return to Department 20 at the Hall of Justice in San Francisco on Monday to set up her next court date, Bastian said.
Anyone with information about the homicide is asked to contact the SFPD’s homicide detail at (415) 553-1145, the anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or can text a tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with “SFPD.”
Hannah Albarazi, Bay City News
