Rodney Ortiz murder suspect gets his wish for speedy trial; preliminary hearing on April 7

Rodney Ortiz was arraigned this afternoon in Courtroom 2for the murder of Daniel Colegrove. While he was privately talking to his attorney Mr. Casey Russo who had just been appointed, he whispered, "Okay. What I want is a speedy trial." And he will get that on April 7 at 8:30 at his preliminary hearing.  Intervention is April 2 at 2 p.m.

Ortiz's bail is three million, three hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars.

Ortiz looks nothing like his booking photo. He has a shaved head and no mustache. Visiting Judge Michael Beecher was the Judge for today's arraignment. DDA Jackie Pizzo present for the People.

Channel 3 was in the courtroom with a camera. Mr. Russo said that while the Judge had granted the order for a camera for this proceeding, he "objected to the presence of the camera in the courtroom and said this was highly prejudicial to his client." Mr. Russo said that he would be filing a motion objecting to cameras in the courtroom and that until his motion is granted, no cameras should be allowed for future proceedings.

Ortiz is charged  with one felony count of murder with special allegations of the use of a firearm during the commission of a crime and two counts of attempted murder resulting in gross bodily injury as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Previous HCSO releases including arrest of Vincent Ortiz:

On 03-25-2015 at about 12:10 p.m. a Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Deputy on patrol in the Willow Creek area spotted, Vincent Rudy Ortiz at the Patriot Gas Station with a 44 year old female companion. Ortiz was fueling a silver, Chevrolet, pickup truck. The deputy immediately took Ortiz into custody without incident.

Vincent Ortiz was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility in Eureka where he was booked for accessory to homicide and his bail was set at $500,000 dollars. Ortiz was also booked on a felony, no bail warrant for a parole violation. The 44 female companion of Ortiz was transported to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office in Eureka to be interviewed by detectives.

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On 03-21-2015 at about 2:10 p.m. a Humboldt County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to the Kimaw Medical Center in Hoopa, regarding a 31 year old, male victim with a gunshot wound. While the deputy was responding to the medical center in Hoopa the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received another report regarding two more male gunshot victims at a residence on Redwood Grove Road off Pine Creek Road, Hoopa.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office along with Hoopa Valley Tribal Police Department and the California Highway Patrol responded to the residence on Redwood Grove Road. When officers arrived on scene they located two male gunshot victims ages 73 and 29. Officers spoke to witnesses at the scene, who identified Rodney Vincent Ortiz age 52 as the suspect who shot the victims with a handgun. After the shooting Rodney Ortiz fled the scene in 2011, silver, Toyota, Rav4 with his son, Vincent Rudy Ortiz age 25.

All (3) three of the male victims were flown to a trauma hospital located in Redding, California. The male victim age 73 is currently listed in critical condition. The 29 year old male victim is currently listed in serious but stable condition. The 31 year old male victim was treated for his gunshot wound and has since been released from the hospital.

On 03-22-2015 at about 8:00 a.m. the Eureka Police Department located the silver. Toyota Rav4 parked and abandoned on the 600 block of Summer Street in Eureka. The vehicle was seized as evidence and will be processed for any possible evidence at a later date.

On 03-22-2015 at about 6:40 p.m. a Eureka Police Department Police Officer on patrol saw Rodney Ortiz walking in Winco Foods parking lot. Ortiz was taken into custody at gunpoint by the Eureka Police Department Officer without incident. Ortiz was transported to the Humboldt County Correctional Facility where he was booked for attempted homicide. Ortiz’s bail was set at 1.5 million dollars.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating Vincent Rudy Ortiz, who currently has a no bail, felony arrest warrant for a parole violation. Vincent Ortiz is a person of interest in the shooting in Hoopa. Vincent Ortiz is considered armed and dangerous. Vincent Ortiz is described as a Hispanic male, 5’-7”, 160 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair.

The motive of the shooting is currently being investigated by Detectives with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. The victims and suspects knew each other prior to the shooting.