A Trenton man accused of stabbing his roommate to death in 2013 maintains he acted in self-defense and rejected an offer calling for a 30-year sentence if he pleads guilty to murder.
But the attorney for Fredy Gonzalez, 22, who was indicted on charges of murder and weapons offenses in the stabbing death of 24-year Raul Cruz, said at a status hearing Monday she is confident the case will resolve in the near future as she is involved in plea deal negotiations with Deputy First Assistant Prosecutor Tom Meidt.
Maleika Montgomery, Gonzalez’s attorney, negotiations have been delayed while Meidt is trying to murder case of Jose “Boom Bat” Negrete. She told Judge Robert Billmeier she expects a deal should be hammered out by her client’s next court appearance, in May. She did not shed any light on terms of the forthcoming deal.
Cruz was stabbed inside his residence on the 800 block of South Clinton Avenue on Sept. 29, 2013. Some of the housemates told police they restrained Gonzalez after he stabbed the victim.
Gonzalez remains jailed on $1 million bail.