Bay Area Burglary Case Turns Deadly in Martinez

A Martinez burglary case has become a murder prosecution after Todd Stewart, a 68-year-old Bay Area retiree, was stabbed to death outside his home last week, according to court filings and prosecutors. Marcos Iriarte-Valdez, 36, now faces life in prison in connection with the killing, which investigators say happened during a residential burglary.

Contra Costa County prosecutors say Iriarte-Valdez stabbed Stewart with a knife around 5:10 p.m. on August 6 while committing the burglary. They added three enhancements to the murder charge, citing the alleged use of a knife during a burglary and the fact that he was on conditional release at the time. Stewart was pronounced dead at the scene after medics tried to save him. Prosecutors say surveillance footage shows Iriarte-Valdez arriving at the home in a Cadillac SUV, dressed in dark jeans, a gray shirt and a protective vest, then sitting in the vehicle before getting out and attacking Stewart. The footage allegedly shows the two men grappling near a sidewalk and between two parked cars before Stewart falls, with the stabbing continuing after he goes down.

District Attorney Diana Becton said her office intends to hold the suspect responsible for what she called a devastating act of violence. “Our thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones and the larger community as they navigate this unimaginable loss,” Becton said. Stewart’s neighbors and family members are mourning him, and friends told KTVU that he had lived in the neighborhood for more than three decades and had recently finished renovations at his home. One friend remembered him as “the most mild-mannered person and the most helpful,” adding that it was still hard to believe he was gone.

The case has also drawn attention because of Iriarte-Valdez’s immigration status and criminal history. The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday that he is a “Venezuelan illegal alien” who committed the alleged crime “in sanctuary California.” DHS also urged California Gov. Gavin Newsom to turn him over to federal authorities, posting on X that Newsom “must NOT RELEASE this murderer from jail and turn him over to us so we can REMOVE him from our nation.” The department separately told The California Post that “sanctuary politicians must stop putting politics above public safety,” arguing that such policies lead to more crimes and innocent victims.