Jonathan Navarro is charged with murder and attempted murder in the attack on his ex-girlfriend, Brianna Marquez, and her boyfriend, Devin McNew. Prosecutors allege Navarro attacked the couple in the summer of 2024, killing McNew and seriously injuring Marquez.
During a preliminary hearing in Fresno County Superior Court, Marquez provided graphic testimony describing the violence she said unfolded before her.
"What did the defendant do with the shovel?" a prosecutor asked.
"He started to dig it into Devin's throat," Marquez testified.
According to prosecutors, Marquez and McNew had gone to return some of Navarro's belongings when the attack occurred.
Marquez told the court that after the initial assault, Navarro produced a knife and turned his attention to McNew.
"He stands over us for a second, and he kneels down, and he has a knife, and he stabs Devon right in the chest, right in front of me," she testified.
She also described pleading for her life during the attack, urging Navarro to consider their daughter.
"I'm begging him not to. I'm begging him that our daughter needs one of us. Please don't do this, and he's just standing over me," Marquez said.
The hearing is intended to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to require Navarro to stand trial on the charges.
The court also heard from a neighbor who rushed outside after witnessing the aftermath.
"Can you tell us what the first thing it was that you saw?" a prosecutor asked witness Bruce Addison.
"I saw a woman with a laceration on her head and blood all over the front of her," Addison replied.
Addison testified that he and others attempted to intervene, describing Navarro as unresponsive to their efforts.
"He had him by the throat with his left hand, and he was squeezing. We were trying to pull him off, and he wasn't responding," Addison said.
At another point, Addison described Navarro's demeanor during the incident as being like a "zombie," testifying that even after being punched in the face, Navarro appeared unfazed.
The preliminary hearing is expected to continue Friday with additional testimony. Once the hearing concludes, a judge will decide whether Navarro will be ordered to stand trial on the murder and attempted murder charges.
For news updates, follow Vincent Camarillo on Instagram.