A trial date has been tentatively set for a man accused of a deadly shooting during a fight over a woman on Labor Day in Salinas, Monterey County Superior Court records show. 

Christopher Montoya, 33, allegedly killed Daniel "Duke" Martinez Jr. Sept. 3 at a home in the 1200 block of Polk Street in North Salinas in a case that also involved allegations of evidence tampering. 

Police found Martinez dead with a gunshot wound to his head.

He pleaded not guilty Wednesday to murder and two special allegations of using a gun and having served a prior prison. His trial is tentatively scheduled to begin April 2.

Judge Rafael Vazquez ordered him to stand trial at his preliminary hearing Jan. 31 after Salinas police explained how they pieced together the series of events that led up to Martinez's death using witness statements and other evidence, according to a court reporter's transcript of the hearing.

As Montoya was driving down from San Jose to King City with his brother and two women, they stopped in Salinas, said Salinas police Det. Robert Miller. 

They were going there to buy cannabis, he said. 

After parking, Montoya got out of the black BMW and spoke with his brother, who said "If Duke's in there, let me know," Miller said. He handed Montoya a Ruger revolver.

Then, Montoya and one of the women approached the house and went to a back entrance to a bedroom. She stayed outside while Montoya entered after Martinez, answered the door, Miller said. 

After an argument broke out, she ran to alert Montoya's brother, who then ran to the house.

Miller said Montoya, who was arrested in late November, told him that the home was a "heroin house" during an interview. 

"They exchanged words, I believe it was in regards to a female," Miller said. 

More: Salinas police identify Labor Day homicide victims

During the argument, Martinez allegedly tried to punch Montoya, he told Miller. 

"(Montoya) kind of changed his story a couple times," Miller said. "But I think what we got is... Chris pushed him back." 

At some point, the gun fired and hit Martinez in the head, Miller said. 

"He fell to the ground and his body went limp," Miller said.

More: Salinas police arrest suspect in Labor Day murder

More: Hartnell College votes to award posthumous degree to slain student, Daniel Martinez Jr.

Montoya's attorney, James Dozier, however, noted that the physical fight prior to the shooting, saying it could have been accidental or self-defense. In addition, the autopsy findings were not available for the preliminary hearing, so it wasn't clear what, if any, drugs or alcohol may have been in his system, Dozier said.

Miller said a close relative noticed a change in behavior in Montoya in the weeks after the shooting and asked him what was wrong. 

Montoya told the relative he was in a fight at a drug house in Salinas and "he accidentally pulled the trigger," Miller testified. 

After the shooting, Montoya's brother arrived and, witnesses told police, "bent down, grabbed (Martinez's) collar and lifted him off the ground," Miller said. 

"You smacked a homie," Montoya's brother allegedly said before they left.

Responding officers noticed several things amiss, including that someone had moved Martinez's body, said Officer Alex Rodriguez. 

"There was blood everywhere," he testified. 

But Martinez's body was lying 2 to 3 feet from a large pool of blood near the wall.

Police would later arrest Ray Demetrio Espino, 32, and his mother Maria Benavides, 54, on suspicion of tampering with evidence, being an accessory to a felony and conspiring together to commit a crime, Salinas police have said. 

More: Salinas mother, son arrested after tampering with homicide scene, police say

Espino is a paraplegic, Miller said.

The DA's Office declined to file charges against them at the time, citing a lack of evidence, but the investigation is ongoing and prosecutors reserve the ability to file charges, said Deputy District Attorney Brian Jones. 

But Dozier said many witnesses in the case have checkered pasts and criminal records that could color their statements to police. He said he couldn't question their motives at the preliminary hearing.

"(One witness) only gave a statement when she was arrested on a warrant," he said. "Now she has a motive to tell them what they want to hear." 

He said he suspects they were using drugs as well. 

That witness was arrested in late September after a chase in the BMW sedan in which a Ruger revolver was thrown out of the car, Miller said. 

Judge Vazquez set the jury trial to begin April 2. However, the prosecution and defense could file additional motions and ask for other hearings, possibly postponing the trial start, Dozier said. 

"There's a long way to go in this case," he said.

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