SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The third suspect facing murder charges in the deadly K Street shootout was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail Tuesday afternoon, according to jail records.
Mtula Payton, a suspected gunman in a shooting that claimed six lives and hurt 12 others in April, was arrested May 28 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Payton had been in a custodial facility in Nevada before he was taken to the Sacramento County Main Jail Tuesday, according to jail records. Police say Payton is one of five people believed to have opened fire that night.
Payton is facing charges that include murder, possession of a firearm by a felon and threatening to commit a crime.
The K Street shooting victims were identified as Johntaya Alexander, 21; Melinda Davis, 57; Yamile Martinez-Andrade, 21; Sergio Harris, 38; Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi, 32; and De’vazia Turner, 29.
Documents filed April 15 by Sacramento County District Attorney’s office show that Hoye-Lucchesi, Harris, and Turner were affiliated with gangs.
WHO HAS BEEN CONNECTED TO THE SHOOTING?
Officials say at least five people opened fire. Six people were killed in the bloodshed, including three alleged gang members who were involved in the shootout. A dozen more people were wounded — two of whom are also alleged gang members and are now charged in the violence.
Dandrae Martin, 26, has been identified by police as a shooter. He was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon. On May 3 he was charged with murder.
Smiley Martin, 27, was seriously injured in the shooting. He was later arrested at a hospital on suspicion of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession of a machine gun. On May 3 he was charged with murder.
► RELATED: Who is Smiley Martin? The 2nd suspect arrested in connection to Sacramento's deadly mass shooting
Both brothers have felony criminal records that include convictions for violent attacks on women they encouraged to work as prostitutes, according to prosecutors and court records.
Smiley Martin was released from prison under supervision of probation officers in February after serving less than half his 10-year sentence because of voter-approved changes to state law that lessened the punishment for some felonies and provided a chance for earlier release.
A chance at freedom even sooner was rejected in May 2021 after prosecutors wrote to the Parole Board citing Martin's lengthy rap sheet and said he “clearly has little regard for human life and the law.”
On April 12th, Sacramento police said evidence gathered so far indicates that Mtula Payton, 27, was among the suspected shooters. It was announced on May 28 that Payton was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The defendants were charged with the slayings of Johntaya Alexander, Yamile Martinez-Andrade and Melinda Davis — three women who prosecutors say were innocent bystanders during the shootout that occurred as patrons of bars and nightclubs emptied out onto the streets in downtown Sacramento.
The three men killed in the bloodshed were Devazia Turner, Sergio Harris and Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi.
A 31-year-old man was arrested near the scene of the shootout with a gun that police do not think was fired during the melee.
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