Man Pleads Not Guilty in Spring Valley Fatal Stabbing

Hector Ivan Hernandez-Romero, who last week was arrested on suspicion of  , which resulted in the man's death, pleaded not guilty Monday to murder charges.

Hernandez-Romero, 32, allegedly went unannounced to a residence in the 700 block of Sacramento Avenue on at about 8:10 p.m. Wednesday night. According to sheriff's, he got into an argument with 30-year-old Roque Varela, before stabbing Varela in the chest with a knife. Varela, who was at the house visiting an acquaintance, was rushed to the hospital, where he died about 30 minutes after being attacked.

Hernandez-Romero allegedly fled the scene and was arrested early the next morning, at a different residence in the 3200 block of Central Avenue in Spring Valley.

He is being ordered held in lieu of $2.5 million bail, and faces 26 years to life in prison if convicted of murder and the use of a knife, said Deputy District Attorney Heather Trocha.  

The defendant will be back in court April 1 for a readiness conference and April 4 for a preliminary hearing.

City News Service contributed to this report.