A 66-year-old farm worker has been charged with murdering seven people at two mushroom farms. half moon bay, california A grand jury indicted a man last year over a $100 repair bill for farm equipment, authorities said.
Chun-Li Zha appeared in court Tuesday for arraignment on seven counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder, according to the Associated Press. San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaff told media via email that his arraignment has been continued until February 29th.
Mr. Wagstaff previously said Mr. Zhao met with his boss about the bill and claimed that it was his co-worker's fault that the forklift he was driving was damaged when it collided with a co-worker's bulldozer. However, the supervisor insisted that Mr. Zhao pay the bill.
Zhao then allegedly shot and killed his boss, two colleagues, and the wife of one of the victims at Terra Garden on January 23, 2023. His fifth colleague was injured. He then went to nearby Concord Farms, where he had been fired in 2015, and shot and killed three of his former co-workers, authorities said.
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Chao Chun-Li appears in San Mateo County Superior Court on January 25, 2023 in Redwood City, California. (Shay Hammond/Bay Area News Group via AP/Pool)
Mr. Zhao pleaded not guilty last February, but a preliminary hearing was not set until March and dragged on, and that hearing has now been annulled, Mr. Wagstaff said.
A grand jury indictment supersedes criminal charges, bypassing the need for a preliminary hearing and skipping a step in the legal process, he told The Associated Press.
Half Moon Bay shooting: 7 killed at California farm, DA says $100 in repairs required
Law enforcement responds to a shooting scene in Half Moon Bay, California, on January 23, 2023. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
“We know that any significant delay would have a very negative impact on the families of the victims, and we are willing to move forward with the case if it is likely to drag on. That is why we are seeking a grand jury indictment. “We did,” Wagstaff wrote.
He said the next step is for Zhao to plead to the grand jury indictment at a hearing in February.
Chao Chun-Li appears in San Mateo County Superior Court on January 25, 2023 in Redwood City, California. (Shay Hammond/Bay Area News Group via AP/Pool)
Days after the killing, Zhao reportedly admitted to the shooting in a prison media interview, telling KNTV television that he had been bullied and worked long hours on a farm.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
