Murder victim's sexual partner takes back confession, blames mystery burglar

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Fresno man accused of killing an older man, who he had a sexual relationship with, is pointing the finger at a mystery burglar.

Martin Zepeda, 48, was killed in his Southeast Fresno apartment four years ago.

Alfredo Chavez confessed to killing Zepeda shortly after police caught him in Zepeda's missing car. Even now he admits to attacking his sexual partner, but says he didn't kill the man.

The scene of the crime was a horrible mess.

"There was blood everywhere," said prosecutor Gabriel Brickey. "There was blood in the kitchen. There was blood in the dining area, blood on the carpet, blood in the hallway, blood on the walls, and even blood on the ceiling."

Martin Garcia Zepeda was dead, his room was in disarray, and the apparent murder weapon was right there next to him. But his TV, stereo and car were gone.

Hours later, police found the car. In it were Alfredo Chavez, Brian Munoz, two women and more blood.

Chavez quickly admitted going to Zepeda's apartment, going inside and getting into a fight.

"And at the end of the [police] interview he said 'I'm responsible. I took his car. I killed him,'" said Brickey.

But his defense attorney says Chavez was tricked into the confession. He says the 27-year-old was a frequent visitor to Zepeda's apartment.

On that day, he says the two men engaged in their usual sexual activity, but Zepeda wanted to reverse their usual roles. Chavez felt he was being raped, so he grabbed a barbell and hit Zepeda once in the stomach and once on the head.

He drove off in Zepeda's car and left the garage door open. That's how he says the real killer got into the home.

"He admits hitting him, but he is so surprised that they're telling him he was killed because in his mind there's no way from what happened he could've killed him," said defense attorney Ralph Torres.

Munoz will be tried separately for the same murder. His attorney tells Action News he will not testify in this case, but his statements to police about what he saw Chavez do may come into evidence. And Chavez is expected to testify in his own defense.