A St. Joseph man appeared in court Thursday for arraignment on one count of second degree murder in connection with the fatal shootings of Kevilee Villegas and Raymond Gonzalez on Safari Drive in July. Through an interpreter and his attorney, Omar Martinez-Velez entered a plea of not guilty. Judge Daniel Kellogg scheduled the case for trial setting November 17.

The defendant is one of five people charged with the killings. All five are being held without bail.

He is the third of the five suspects to be bound over to Circuit Court after waiving their preliminary hearings. Luz Figueroa-Castillo is scheduled for a trial setting September 26, while Luis Omar Robles-Vargas is scheduled for circuit court arraignment September 29.

Preliminary hearings scheduled for Alexi Martinez-Andino and Raymond Jimenez Bencebi Jr. have been continued.

According to court documents all five of the defendants were in the area of Lion Rd. and Safari Dr. on the morning of July 17. Multiple rounds were fired from several weapons striking and causing the death of the two victims. Each defendant is accused of firing numerous rounds at the victims striking both of them.