STANISLAUS COUNTY, Calif. — A man charged with killing Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Deputy Dennis Wallace back in 2016 was convicted for the murder on Monday.
A jury returned the guilty verdict for first-degree murder against David Machado, according to the Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office.
Deputy Wallace was investigating a suspicious van at the Fox Grove Fishing Access in November 2016 when he was killed. Wallace, 53, radioed dispatch before approaching the vehicle. Wallace discovered the car was stolen, but the moment he began calling for backup, Machado began shooting, sheriff's officials said.
Wallace was found lying near his patrol car with gunshot wounds to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the DA’s office, this is a bifurcated trial. Now that the guilt phase is over, the sanity phase will begin on Thursday.
