Man Pleads Not Guilty to Fatally Stabbing a Man at Belmont Wendy's

By Bay City News, photo by shutterstock

A Turlock man charged with fatally stabbing a man behind a Wendy’s parking lot in Belmont last month pleaded not guilty today in a Redwood City courtroom, according to San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

Prosecutors said Timothy Andrew Guerra, 19, killed Denis Meshchyshyn, 19, of Belmont, on April 25 because he was upset over a small amount of money he had given Meshchyshyn.

According to the district attorney’s office, Guerra moved to Belmont in late March and met the victim through mutual friends. Guerra became angry when he gave the victim $10 for a ride, but Meshchyshyn never
followed through.

When Guerra found out that his friends would be meeting with Meshchyshyn in the parking lot behind Wendy’s, located at 678 Ralston Ave., Guerra got a ride to the location and confronted the victim, prosecutors said.

At about 7:30 p.m., Guerra stabbed Meshchyshyn several times in the abdomen and back, before fleeing on foot, prosecutors said.

Meshchyshyn was transported to Stanford Hospital, where he died.

Police arrested Guerra in Turlock on April 29. Guerra remains in custody with no bail set and will appear in court again on July 9 to set a preliminary hearing date, Wagstaffe said.

Guerra’s attorney was not immediately available for comment on the case.