LANCASTER – A 38-year-old felon accused of shooting to death a Lancaster man riding his all-terrain vehicle in the desert must stand trial, a judge ruled after a preliminary court hearing Wednesday.
Arturo Lopez was held to answer to a murder charge, with an allegation that he personally and intentionally used a rifle to commit the crime, and three counts of possession of a firearm by a felon with one prior.
The charges stem from the shooting death of 47-year-old Lancaster resident Stephen Finson.
On the afternoon of Feb. 23, 2014, Finson went for a desert ride on his all-terrain cycle but did not return home. After a desperate all-night search by family members, Finson’s body was located the next morning by a search and rescue team near 135th Street East and Avenue H.
The Navy veteran was still wearing his helmet, and his Honda ATC 250R was upright some 40 to 50 feet north of the dry wash, sheriff’s officials said.
An autopsy revealed that Finson died from a gunshot wound to the head, believed to have come from a .30-caliber bullet that went through the back of his helmet and exited through his open face mask, according to court testimony by Sgt. Robert Martindale of the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau.
More than a month after Finson’s death, and two weeks after a $10,000 reward was offered to help solve the crime, authorities were tipped off to Lopez.
Sheriff’s homicide detectives searched Lopez’s residence on April 30 and found a .22 rifle and a .22 caliber revolver in a shallow hole near a fence on the outskirts of the property, Martindale testified.
They also found a black scope on a stack of paint cans in a metal shed on the property, Martindale testified.
Martindale was one of three witnesses who testified during the two-day preliminary court hearing for Lopez.
Also taking the witness stand was Lopez’s friend, Gerardo “Green Eyes” Amaya. Amaya testified that he was riding in a vehicle with Lopez on Feb. 23, 2014, when Lopez stopped the car on Avenue H and said he wanted to “test fire a new pistol.” Amaya said Lopez got out the car and fired a semi-automatic handgun twice towards the desert. Amaya said he remained in the car and did not see if Lopez hit anything.
Lopez’s former live-in girlfriend, Vanessa Burks, testified that Lopez told her that he thought he had shot and killed someone.
Testifying on Tuesday, Burks said Lopez told her that he and a friend named “Green Eyes” went to scare a man and ended up shooting him.
Burks said Lopez made the admission after they had watched a news broadcast about Finson’s death and right as the two were getting high on methamphetamines. She said she initially did not believe Lopez because he was known for being a “prankster.”
“He told me ‘Vanessa, I’m serious,’” Burks said. She also testified that Lopez looked scared, confused and lost.
“He asked me to hide him, and I said no because I was having a hard enough time hiding myself,” Burks testified, adding that there was an outstanding narcotics warrant for her arrest at the time.
Asked if Lopez told her what happened to the gun, Burks said, “It was supposedly ground down and gotten rid of.”
Burks also testified that she and Lopez were heavy meth users during their 14-year relationship. Burks said that when she lived with Lopez, “he’d be outside all the time shooting rabbits and squirrels” with a shotgun. She said Lopez also fired his shotgun inside the home sometimes as a prank.
Burks testified that Lopez once shot at her with a .22 rifle after the two had a fight a few years ago. “I heard bullets coming by head,” Burks said, adding that she took off running down the road.
Lopez’s defense attorney argued that the murder charge should be dismissed because there was no physical evidence connecting Lopez to the murder, authorities were relying on testimony from a meth addict, and the weapon used to kill Finson had not been found.
The motion was denied and Lopez was held to answer on all four felony counts.
He is due in court for a second arraignment on June 11. If convicted as charged, Lopez faces 25 years to life in state prison.
Previous related stories:
Felon pleads not guilty to Stephen Finson’s murder
Man charged with murder of Stephen Finson
Suspect arrested for the murder of Stephen Finson
[removed] says
Only god knows exactly what happened
OnArtsside says
I can’t believe how many of you ASSUME before knowing the truth. I’d advise everyone to shut up because you don’t know Art & you can’t say he committed the crime because there’s no evidence & your going off of only a darn Meth head testimony & an illegal alien because he’s scared of being deported & loosing his kids…. Get the facts straight
AV mom says
Most of these comments are straight from the gangbangers or meth heads mouths. Wow. My condolences to Stephen Finson’s family & friends. May he rest in peace. As for the gangbangers & meth heads, heads up (pun intended). 99.9% of all your so-called friends will give you up in a second to save their own selves, even from a parking ticket.
NANA says
AV Mom… Really there goes another dumb ass ASSUMING they know everything!!! I can tell you that I am not a “gangbanger” or “meth head” but before you open your dumbass mouth & start ASSUMING [removed] get your facts straight!
rere says
First off Vanessa is a stalker and is obsessed with Art and it’s funny that she’s out of jail now that she’s a witness she lives in her car so she’s making up [removed] for the money and more drugs She couldn’t even take care of her son Art is the one who took care of him yeah he made mistakes especially being with that thing called Vanessa she also tried many times to stab art when she got mad and green eyes is only saying what he’s saying cuz he got his own charges of child abuse and meth he’s here illegally but he gets out of jail in 60 days and gets to stay here…The sheriff’s promised him he could stay and told him what to say and the detective tried to lie about the firearms it’s all lies!
Kay says
If what you’re saying is true, this case sounds like one giant clusterf**k! Poor poor Steve Finson. Just out for a ride minding his own business and ends up twisted up with these band of losers. RIP Steve. SMH…
weird case says
ya – its a very strange case. only 2 possibilities here. 1. you believe the witness and think that this guy was just randomly firing a gun in the desert and happened to hit a guy on an atv (what are the odds??) or 2. this guy was high/drunk and out of his mind and saw a guy ride by on an ATV and decided to see if he could hit him with his gun… meaning it was no accident.. he aimed and shot him on purpose.
I am leaning toward #2.. it makes the most sense.
NANA says
Or how about neither of them are possible because Art didn’t do it. I am more than certain that he was setup by Vanessa. Come on people she had a warrant for her arrest, she was broke & needed money so that’s why when they offered a reward she said it was Art. Also I bet she figures that if she can’t have him no one will. She is a crazy stalking meth B that needs to be looked at.
Sa says
Sorry but sounds like bs. Unfortunately I lived with a meth addict and I know what they’re like. Sounds like paranoia got to him and he messed up big time. Plus you can see in his picture he’s a user. Might be a good person but he’s also a user who made another horrible decision that unfortunately took someone’s life.
On his side says
You are right about all of that..this case is so [removed] that they had to influence statements and everything to even have a case to take to trial.
OnArtsside says
I cannot believe how people are so quick & jump to conclusion & assume that Art is the one who did it. Hello people open your damn eyes & see that a freaking meth addict (Vanessa) turned him in because she was mad that she couldn’t have him & she wanted the reward money. I advise everyone to keep your mouth shut until you know the truth!!!!