Arraignment for suspect in murder of Santa Cruz Sheriff Sgt. continued

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION)

UPDATE: The arraignment for Steven Carrillo, the suspect in the murder of Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, was continued Friday.

No plea was entered, but Carrillo appeared in-person. Most court hearings during the pandemic are done virtually, but because this is a capital punishment case in Santa Cruz County, Carrillo was required to be in court. He was transferred from Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County, where he is being held without bail.

There was extremely tight security for the hearing. Outside the Santa Cruz courthouse, police patrolled from the rooftop of the county administrative building next to the courthouse. A police K-9 was seen sniffing around the front of the building. Inside, police ushered attorney's in to the courtroom.

Several family members of Steven Carrillo attended the court hearing. Sheriff Jim Hart was also at the arraignment.

Steven Carrillo dropped his previous attorney Jeffrey Stotter, and was assigned a public defender in the case.

Carrillo is also accused of killing an Oakland Federal Officer during a Black Lives Matter protest in late May.

The federal and state cases will take place independently.

Carrillo's arraignment is continued until August 27.

PREVIOUS STORY: In a Santa Cruz courtroom Friday afternoon, the suspect in the murder of Santa Cruz Sheriff's Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, Steven Carrillo, is expected to enter a plea.

Carrillo is also accused of killing an Oakland Federal Officer during a Black Lives Matter protest in late May.

If found guilty, the former Air Force sergeant could face the death penalty in the Ben Lomond murder on June 6, according to the District Attorney.

KION will be at the court hearing, and Drew Andre will have a live report tonight at 5 p.m. on KION.