By Khalida Sarwari
A 34-year-old San Jose man was arraigned Thursday in Santa Clara County Superior Court on one count of murder in connection with a homicide in San Jose last month, a district attorney’s spokeswoman said.
Adrian Sarmiento is suspected of murdering 54-year-old Gilbert Flores during a physical altercation, police Sgt. Ronnie Lopez said.
Flores died June 30, five days after family members took him, unconscious, to Regional Medical Center of San Jose, Lopez said.
The family initially said Flores had fallen and hit his head, but after he died, Flores’ sister told police his injuries could have been from an assault, Lopez said. The Santa Clara County medical examiner’s office determined he had in fact been murdered.
Lopez declined to elaborate on how police linked Sarmiento to Flores’ death.
Sarmiento was already in custody on an unrelated theft charge when he was arrested July 2. He has previously been convicted of three felony charges, including possession of a controlled substance, forgery and auto theft.
He is due back in court July 22 for a plea entry hearing in San Jose.