STOCKTON, Calif. — Anthony Gray, 52, the suspect in the deadly stabbing of a 15-year-old high school student, made his first court appearance Wednesday.
Gray allegedly drove to Stagg High School's front parking lot, parked, walked over to 15-year-old Alycia Reynaga and stabbed her.
He was quickly detained by a school district police officer. John Ramirez Jr., Superintendent for Stockton Unified School District (SUSD), said at a press conference following the incident that Reynaga was stabbed multiple times. She was taken to a hospital where she later died.
Police are still trying to figure out a motive for the attack.
At court on Wednesday, Gray was arraigned on charges including first-degree murder, a special circumstance of torture, personal use of a non-firearm and other charges.
Based on these charges, Gray faces life without the possibility of parole, according to the San Joaquin County District Attorney, Tori Verber Salazar.
Salazar also detailed a laundry list of past convictions against Gray that dated back to 1989 from San Jose, Santa Clara and Napa counties. Among them were charges of receiving stolen property, purchasing narcotics, vandalism and possession of a firearm. None were in San Joaquin County.
Gray served two prison terms and was released in 2012. Salazar also said Gray was working at a warehouse job, had a car and a place to live. He's due back in court next month.
"My office is tough on crime. They're going to hold people like this accountable to the full extent of the law, and I guarantee that to our community," Salazar said. "There are people that cannot walk amongst us because of their inability to function in a manner that is safe for others."
► WATCH MORE: Tori Verber Salazar, San Joaquin County District Attorney, spoke following suspect Anthony Gray's first court appearance.
Salazar also spoke about the disparity between special circumstance enhancement for firearms versus non-firearms.
“Anybody using a knife resulting in a great bodily injury or death in another should have the same consequences as an individual using a gun. That enhancement, that law needs to be changed now," Salazar said.
In regards to the special circumstance of torture, Salazar said she could not go into detail on it, but said her office believes they have "the elements to prove torture."
“This kind of crime is so random that there is no way to predict that it would occur or even begin to offer an explanation to you of why it occurred. It is just senseless. It is maddening and it is an example of some of the evil that walks amongst us,” Salazar said.
Salazar said they are in the first 48 hours of the investigation and more information may become available as the investigation continues.
A fundraiser for Alycia Reynaga can be found HERE.
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