Gilroy murder suspect turns himself in

The man accused of killing a Gilroy woman and friend of Doris Knapp and her husband, Salinas doctor German Baldeon, has turned himself in to authorities.

On Monday, Gilroy Police confirmed that David Galvez turned himself in some time last week as the Santa Clara County DA’s Office worked in collaboration with the U.S. Marshal’s Office.

In October, prosecutors dropped murder charges against a Gilroy doctor accused of hiring a friend to stab to death his 74-year-old physician wife. Knapp was murdered in April.

The charges against 68-year-old German Baldeon were dismissed.

At the time of his arrest, Baldeon was listed as an employee of the Clinica de Salud del Valle in Salinas.

Baldeon was arrested in June and accused of hiring David Galvez to kill his wife, Dr. Doris Knapp. Galvez was also charged, but had fled to Ecuador, which does not have an extradition treaty with the United States.

Prosecutors did not provide a detailed explanation for the dismissal, but Baldeon’s defense attorney, Paula Canny, told the San Jose Mercury News that Galvez acted independently. She says Galvez killed Knapp as part of an elaborate scheme to swindle the family out of their Ecuadoran condominium.