Judge Sets April Trial Date in Deadly 2022 Downtown Sacramento Mass Shooting Case
A Sacramento judge has set an April 21 trial date in the criminal case tied to the 2022 downtown Sacramento mass shooting, one of the deadliest shootings in city history. The case centers on defendants Deandre Martin and Mtula Payton, who each face murder charges connected to the gun battle that left six people dead and 12 others wounded near 10th and K streets in the early morning hours of April 3, 2022.
According to the latest reporting you shared from The Sacramento Bee, Sacramento Superior Court Judge Michael Bowman set the case for trial beginning April 21, with jury selection expected to begin earlier in April. Recent coverage from KCRA and CBS Sacramento also shows the case has continued moving through preliminary-hearing and pretrial stages, with the remaining defendants ordered to stand trial after the court found sufficient evidence to proceed.
What happened in the original 2022 shooting?
The mass shooting happened just after bars and clubs were closing in downtown Sacramento. Police said officers heard gunfire around 2 a.m. and rushed to the area, where six people were found dead and 12 others were hurt. Authorities later described the violence as a gang-related shootout involving multiple shooters.
The shooting was widely described as the deadliest mass shooting in Sacramento history. Over time, prosecutors alleged that the gun battle involved rival groups and that not all of the six people killed were uninvolved bystanders. Court filings later indicated that three of the six people who died were allegedly involved in the dispute, while the murder case against the defendants focuses on the deaths of three bystanders.
Who are the victims named in the murder case?
According to prosecutors, the defendants are charged in the deaths of three bystanders killed in the gunfire:
- Yamile Martinez
- Johntaya Alexander
- Melinda Davis
Reporting and court coverage have also identified the other three people killed that night as Joshua Hoye-Lucchessi, Sergio Harris, and Devasia Turner. Prosecutors have said those three were allegedly involved in the shootout itself, which is why the murder counts against the defendants are tied to the bystander deaths rather than all six fatalities.
Who is still facing charges?
The two defendants now heading toward trial are:
- Deandre Martin
- Mtula Payton
A third defendant, Smiley Martin, had also been charged in the case, but he died in the Sacramento County Main Jail in June 2024 while awaiting trial. After his death, prosecutors moved to dismiss the charges against him. The Associated Press and KCRA both reported on his death and the later dismissal.
What have defense attorneys argued?
Defense attorneys have argued that the shooting erupted spontaneously and that the defendants returned fire in self-defense. Recent reporting also shows the defense tried to reduce the murder charges to manslaughter, but the judge denied that request and kept the murder counts in place.
The defense has also pushed to move the case out of Sacramento County, arguing that extensive publicity could make it difficult to seat a fair jury locally. KCRA and CBS Sacramento have both reported on the venue fight and the long-running pretrial litigation surrounding the case.
What happened during the preliminary hearing?
Court coverage in 2024 showed the preliminary hearing focused heavily on witness testimony, ballistics evidence, and who was armed during the confrontation. KCRA reported that investigators collected more than 100 fired cartridge cases and hundreds of pieces of evidence from the scene. The same outlet also reported sharp disputes in court over whether some of the people killed had guns and how the gun battle began.
By October 2024, the judge ruled there was enough evidence for the remaining defendants to stand trial. That ruling kept the case moving toward what is now expected to be a lengthy jury trial.
What happens next?
Based on the latest reporting you provided, the court has now set the case for an April 21 trial start, with jury selection expected to begin earlier in the month. The trial is expected to last for several weeks and could stretch into early summer depending on jury selection, witness testimony, and evidentiary disputes. The exact schedule can still shift if motions, jury issues, or other pretrial matters arise. Recent reporting also indicates the court intends to draw jurors from Sacramento County despite the defense effort to move the case elsewhere.
Why this case remains so significant
The April 2022 shooting shook downtown Sacramento and triggered years of discussion about nightlife safety, gang violence, and public security in the K Street corridor. CBS Sacramento reported that city leaders later created a nightlife-focused office in response to safety concerns that followed the shooting. Even years later, the case remains one of the most closely watched criminal prosecutions in the region.
Important note
All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Some details in this case come from court filings, police statements, and media reporting, and additional facts may come out once the trial begins.
Quick facts box
Incident date: April 3, 2022
Location: Downtown Sacramento near 10th and K streets
People killed: 6
People wounded: 12
Defendants currently heading to trial: Deandre Martin and Mtula Payton
Latest development: Trial date set for April 21, according to the latest reporting you shared, with the case continuing after extensive pretrial litigation.
