Jury hears 911 call in Parlier murder trial, testimony about victims' behavior

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A frantic 911 call played in court on Tuesday as a county jury heard more evidence about a Parlier man accused of killing Israel Trevino Jr. and injuring his son, Trevino III.

"They were shot! They were shot! I think he's dead," the caller said of the two victims.

Joe Gomez Jr. has pleaded not guilty to murder, attempted murder, and assault for a May 2021 shooting that happened outside a Parlier home.

The passerby who called 911, Jaime Cano, says he saw the violence unfold.

"I was coming up to the stoplight at Whittier and Parlier, and I seen three gentlemen that were fighting," Cano said.

Prosecutors had called Cano to the stand to help make their case against Gomez. However, some of his testimony played right into what Gomez's attorney says is a clear case of self-defense.

"Tell us: Did you see two men approaching the defendant?" defense attorney and Action News Legal Analyst Tony Capozzi said.

"They weren't approaching him. "They were actually attacking him," Cano said of the two victims.

Capozzi then doubled down.

"Would you say that Mr. Gomez was the aggressor?" Capozzi said. "No, sir," Cano said.

But prosecutor Nicole Idiart pushed back, highlighting for the jury that her witness only saw part of what happened.

"So you don't know what led up to this altercation?" Idiart said. "No, ma'am," Cano said.

Idiart argues Gomez was driving erratically in front of the Trevino family home and had stirred up trouble for years.

One of the victim's family members even testified about an earlier drive-by that happened just weeks prior, behavior the witness said seemed to be "targeted" at her family.

"Upon one passing, someone spit out of the vehicle," Mariah Trevino said. "It turned around and came back. He threw trash."

Jurors will be back on Wednesday morning to hear more evidence. Prosecutors say they plan to call the defendant's brother to the stand.