NewsCalifornia News

Actions

Man pleads not guilty to killing Salinas police officer

Salinas police officer shot and killed during traffic stop
Posted

SALINAS, Calif. (AP) — The man accused of fatally shooting a central California police officer during a traffic stop last weekend has pleaded not guilty to murder.

The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office says Gustavo Matias Morales was arraigned Tuesday on a murder charge with a special circumstance for killing a police officer. Salinas Police Officer Jorge David Alvarado was killed during a shootout that erupted after he pulled over a car late Friday.

Morales was arrested when he showed up at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital with a gunshot wound. Investigators have not said what was the traffic violation or what led to the shootout.

,

Weather

Daily Forecast

View Hourly Forecast

Day

Conditions

HI / LO

Precip

Thursday

11/06/2025

AM Clouds/PM Sun

69° / 54°

1%

Friday

11/07/2025

Partly Cloudy

71° / 52°

7%

Saturday

11/08/2025

Sunny

77° / 52°

5%

Sunday

11/09/2025

Sunny

82° / 55°

2%

Monday

11/10/2025

Partly Cloudy

82° / 56°

0%

Tuesday

11/11/2025

Mostly Cloudy

80° / 60°

0%

Wednesday

11/12/2025

Partly Cloudy

77° / 56°

1%

Thursday

11/13/2025

PM Showers

70° / 53°

38%