Noah David Beard (left) and Angel ‘Nanu’ Uriarte were both charged for the murders of six family members in central California
One of the men arrested for the murders of six family members in a rural California town pleaded not guilty to charges of murder.
Noah David Beard, 25, was arraigned on Wednesday in a Tulare County Courthouse for his role in the massacre in the small town of Goshen.
Investigators say he was responsible for the ‘execution-style’ killings of 16-year-old mother Alissa Parraz and her 10-month old son, Nycholas Parraz. Surveillance footage taken from that night shows a man follow the mother and son as they try to flee from the home, then pull out a gun as he closes in.
His accomplice, Angel ‘Nanu’ Uriarte, remains hospitalized. When federal agents moved to arrest him on February 3, he engaged them in a gunfight and was wounded.
Noah David Beard is taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies and ATF agents (Picture: AP)
The public waited for answers for about 3 weeks after the horrifying massacre. However, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said the two suspects were identified on January 23. They were placed under constant surveillance until investigators had an substantial evidence against them.
‘We knew every move they were making. The public was not at risk,’ Boudreaux said.
The other victims included Eladio Parraz, 52, Jennifer Analla, 49, Marcos Parraz, 19, and Rosa Parraz, 72. Each of the victims was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head.
Investigators are still trying to determine a motive for the gruesome crime. They currently believe it to be related to a much larger gang rivalry.
‘In the beginning, I had mentioned this was a cartel-like shooting. And as all of you can imagine, this is exactly what it appears to be,’ Boudreaux said.
Beard and Uriarte are known associates of the Norteños, a street gang associated with the Nuestra Familia prison gang.
Investigators said at least two members of the Parraz family were members of the Sureños, a rival gang prominent in southern California.
Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected]. Or you can submit your videos and pictures here.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Follow Metro.co.uk on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here.
Investigators say he was responsible for the ‘execution-style’ killings of 16-year-old mother Alissa Parraz and her 10-month old son, Nycholas Parraz.
