Man to stand trial in fatal stabbing of stranger in Otay Mesa park

A man accused of fatally stabbing a stranger more than 20 times at Otay Valley Regional Park was ordered Tuesday to stand trial on a charge of murder.

Milton Zuzun Tax is charged with the January 2023 killing of 49-year-old Jose Gonzalez, who lived near the park where his body was discovered.

The victim’s body was found on the morning of Jan. 29, 2023, shortly after his family reported him missing.

Tax, who was 18 years old at the time of the fatal stabbing, was staying at a nearby townhouse around the time of Gonzalez’s death.

According to testimony from a preliminary hearing held to determine whether Tax would go to trial on the murder count, San Diego police Detective Neil Barber said that Tax gave several explanations for what happened, changing his story several times.

In his final version of the incident, Tax told investigators that while outside the home, a man made a comment that angered him, and during an ensuing confrontation, Tax stabbed the man, Barber testified. The man then ran, and Tax chased him and stabbed him several more times, the detective said Tax told investigators.

When Tax was shown a picture of Gonzalez, he confirmed that it was the man he stabbed, Barber testified.

Tax was staying at the townhouse with a man and woman who were considering offering him a job at their business, according to testimony.

The woman testified that while Tax was staying at their home, she noticed several kitchen knives had gone missing, though she was able to find all but one in various places inside the home.

The lone knife that remained missing — which prosecutors allege was used to kill Gonzalez — wasn’t found until the day Tax was arrested, inside a duffel bag he was carrying.

Tax stayed at the townhouse for about four days until he was kicked out for allegedly making an inappropriate comment toward the woman. She testified that a few days later, Tax was captured on motion sensors inside their residence while they were away.

They returned to find Tax had broken into their home, and they restrained him until police arrived and arrested him.

Deputy District Attorney Joshua Brisbane argued during the hearing that Tax had left the alleged murder weapon at the residence — possibly inadvertently because he was kicked out — then came back to retrieve it.

After reclaiming the stolen knife, the woman said that the following day, her family noticed police were in the area to investigate the killing. It was then that she reported the knife to police.

Barber, the detective, testified that the tip of that knife was broken off, and there appeared to be blood on the blade and handle.

Tax also had cuts on his hands that prosecutors allege were sustained while killing Gonzalez.

The townhouse residents testified that Tax told them he sustained the cuts because a bicyclist crashed into him.

Barber testified that Tax explained at one point that the injuries occurred during an altercation with a man who attempted to break into the townhouse.

Tax remains in custody without bail. He faces 26 years to life in state prison if convicted of the murder count, plus an allegation of using a knife in the slaying.