Accused killer’s bond set at $500,000

Carlos Sanchez
– OCP file photo

Accused killer’s bond set at $500,000

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor

HART — The 32-year-old Muskegon man accused of shooting and killing a 28-year-old man with a handgun last June has been lodged in the Oceana County Jail without bond since the shooting.

Carlos Andres Sanchez, of 3860 Manatee Ave., appeared in Oceana County’s 51st Circuit Court for a pretrial hearing from the jail via Zoom video conferencing Monday morning, Dec. 5. Sanchez is accused of murdering Miguel Angel Gutierrez, of 4357 Louise St,, Muskegon. He is charged with open murder and felony firearm.

Sanchez’s attorney, Julie Springstead Waltz, who physically appeared in the courtroom, asked Judge Susan K. Sniegowski to set bond for her client. “On behalf of my client, I’m asking for a reasonable bond,” said Springstead Waltz. “We feel that it violates his rights.”

“Bond is not required in a homicide case,” argued Oceana County Prosecutor Joseph Bizon. “He was found fleeing southbound. He’s a flight risk and a danger to the community. He was headed to Texas or Mexico.”

Sanchez fled the scene in his pickup truck last June, but was captured by law enforcement in Muskegon County.

Judge Sniegowski said she agreed that no bond is appropriate, although she would agree to holding an evidentiary hearing on bond. 

The case went back on record Monday afternoon after it was determined that, by law, a bond had to be set, said Bizon. “He is approaching 180 days in jail, and by law, the judge has to set a bond. It was set at

Crystal Gonzalez.
– OCP file photo

$500,000 cash.”

Both attorneys said there is no plea offer presently on the table. “Most of the discovery is completed, but some items are highly technical and involved,” said Bizon. “The crime lab is still working on a digital download of multiple devices.”

The case will be set for another pretrial hearing, which will likely be in March. 

Witness testimony during a preliminary examination, Sept. 13, in 79th District Court revealed that the victim suffered seven gunshot wounds. The killing occurred around noon in the backyard of a residence at 8537 S. Robinhood Dr. in Grant Township — the home of Crystal Ramona Gonzalez.

Dr. Jared Brooks, a forensic and anatomic pathologist, testified that the autopsy determined that the cause of death was “multiple gunshot wounds” and the manner of death was “homicide.”

“He just got out of his truck; walked towards us; and started shooting,” said Crystal Gonzalez. Gonzalez said the defendant, Sanchez, is the father of her children.

A love triangle — or rectangle — appears to be the motive.

“Carlos was messing with his baby mama, we were just going to talk to each other and get to know each other,” she said of the victim. 

“He got out of his truck; had a gun in his hand; and started shooting,” she said of Sanchez. “He emptied the round.”

Gonzalez testified that Gutierrez had spent the previous three nights at her home prior to his death.

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