Update: Suspects in Michael 'Gabe' Hallman's Killing Plea Not Guilty

Updated at 11:20 a.m. on Dec. 19

Update: Two men accused in the slaying of Michael "Gabe" Hallman during a fracas in a Chollas Creek-area neighborhood on Sept. 30 pleaded not guilty to murder charges today and were ordered held without bail.

Original Story

Two men suspected of killing a man, who grew up in Ramona, following a fight at a social gathering in the Chollas Creek-area were scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.

Francisco Jose Arellano, 32, of Chula Vista and Michael Vincent Reyes, 29, of El Cajon were already in custody for alleged parole violations when they were re-booked Monday on suspicion of murdering 34-year-old Michael Gabriel Hallman, according to San Diego police Lt. Ernie Herbert.

A candlelight vigil was held for Hallman, who was known as "Gabe" to his family and friends, at the Ramona soccer fields on Dec. 5. Hallman's mother, Jennifer Hallman said during the vigil that police had informed her just hours earlier that an arrest was made in the case and more arrests were possible. But police waited until Tuesday to disclose the news to the public.

Hallmann grew up in Ramona but last lived and worked in the city of San Diego as a licensed massage therapist. He was survived by his 4-year-old daughter.

Shortly after 5:30 a.m. on Sept. 30, patrol officers responding to a report of an assault in the 5000 block of Sterling Court found Hallman in front of a home in the area suffering from several stab wounds. Medics took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later, Herbert said.

The lieutenant declined to disclose what led detectives to identify Arellano and Reyes as the alleged killers. Herbert also would not comment on a suspected motive, though he said the victim and suspects apparently got into a fight during some sort of social gathering.