Menlo Park Man Accused Of 2012 Murder Heads To Trial

REDWOOD CITY, CA — A trial started Monday for one man charged with murder and another pleaded no contest Monday to second degree murder in the death of a East Palo Alto man in 2012, San Mateo County prosecutors say.

The second day of trial started Tuesday for Jerry Coneal III, 22, of Menlo Park, who prosecutors allege shot Christopher Baker to death on Oct. 5, 2012. Baker was shot multiple times in the 2200 block of Terra Villa Avenue at 8:20 p.m.

San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said Baker was at a memorial for someone in the front of a home in East Palo Alto. Prosecutors allege the shooter jumped out of a car and chased Baker up a driveway and shot him.

Coneal's trial is expected to last five to six weeks with a one-week interruption in August because the judge will be unavailable.

Menlo Park resident Miguel Rivera Jr., 26, pleaded no contest to second-degree murder in Baker's death. Prosecutors do not believe Rivera pulled the trigger, Wagstaffe said.

According to Wagstaffe, Rivera admitted to a prior felony strike, killing Baker for gang purposes and a prior felony conviction.

He faces 35 years to life for killing Baker and 14 years and 4 months for a conviction out of Santa Clara County, which means Rivera faces 49 years and 4 months to life in prison, prosecutors said.

Peter Arian, attorney for Coneal, said he would not comment while the litigation is pending. Raymond Buenaventura, attorney for Rivera, was not immediately available for comment.

— By Bay City News Service / Image via Shutterstock