Suspect In Murrieta Screwdriver Stabbing Pleads Not Guilty

MURRIETA, CA — A 36-year-old Modesto man accused of fatally stabbing a Murrieta senior with a screwdriver, as well as trying to kill the homeowner's wife in the same manner, pleaded not guilty Thursday to first-degree murder and other charges.

Manuel Arturo Alvarez of Modesto was arrested earlier this month and is accused of murdering 70-year-old Robert Brink and attempting to murder his spouse, 72-year-old Cyndye Polsgrove.

After an intensive manhunt in Murrieta, Alvarez was taken into custody within an hour of the attack on Old Spring Road, near Dove Hollow Lane.

Related: 'Shattered In An Instant:' Murrieta Grandmother Survives Brutal Attack. A Community Gathers To Support Her

Along with murder, he's charged with attempted murder, resisting arrest and two counts of brandishing a weapon not in self-defense, as well as sentence-enhancing allegations of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony. He was arraigned Thursday before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Judith Clark, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for Jan. 16 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.

Alvarez remains in custody, being held without bail at the Byrd Detention Center.

It was just after 8 a.m. on Nov. 5, when Brink and Polsgrove were in their residence in the 39600 block of Old Spring Road when Alvarez is thought to have forced his way into the house, according to the Murrieta Police Department Capt. Jeremy Durrant.

"The attacker wielded a screwdriver and stabbed both victims, inflicting a mortal wound to the head of Brink," Durrant said. "Polsgrove was seriously injured but managed to call 911 after the assailant fled out the back door."

Alvarez is thought to have fled into the nearby park and ravine before patrol officers converged on the location. A K9 officer assisted in his ultimate arrest, after he refused to leave the bushes where he was hiding, according to Durrant.

Polsgrove was taken to a regional trauma center for treatment of her wounds, and she has required multiple surgeries, according to her family. Her husband was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

Alvarez suffered minor injuries during the confrontation with the canine and was treated before he was transported to jail.

No officers were hurt, including the K9 officer, according to the department. A possible motive for the attack was not disclosed.

Alvarez has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County and was allegedly "living in his car," according to the police. The incident incited a Town Hall meeting to discuss community safety.

A fundraising campaign in support of the victims had raised $16,675 in donations as of Thursday afternoon. The GoFundMe effort has a goal of $20,000. The account can be found at www.gofundme.com

"I just want to thank everybody for the love and support," Polsgrove said in a video message appended to the campaign page Tuesday. "It has meant so much to me that the community has reached out and supported and hugged me."

Her family said she underwent surgery over a week ago and is on the road to recovery.

Related:

Couple Stabbed In Their Murrieta Home, Police Arrest Suspect With K9 Officer Assistance

'Shattered In An Instant:' Murrieta Grandmother Survives Brutal Attack. A Community Gathers To Support Her