Man pleads not guilty to murder in Marysville Save Mart stabbing

A Yuba City man pleaded not guilty to murder and assault charges stemming from a stabbing at a Marysville Save Mart that left a 64-year-old assistant manager dead and a good Samaritan injured, prosecutors said.

Samuel Enderwick Hartbower, 33, was arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Yuba County Superior Court in connection with the Oct. 11 attack at the grocery store on J Street, the Yolo County District Attorney's Office said. He faces a potential life sentence for each charge if convicted.

The victim was identified as Douglas Lee Eid, a 64-year-old Clearlake resident who worked as the store's assistant manager.

Prosecutors said Eid had asked Hartbower to leave the store, which prompted Hartbower to attack Eid with a knife.

Robert Balderaz, a shopper who witnessed the attack, intervened to try to stop it.

Balderaz previously said he was shopping for snacks and cough drops for his sick wife when he heard people screaming for help. He turned a corner and saw what he described as a Save Mart employee struggling with another man before stepping in. 

Balderaz was also stabbed in the arm during a struggle and required stitches at the hospital, officials said. Despite his injuries, Balderaz said he did not regret intervening.

Other bystanders also intervened, stopping Hartbower from fleeing and holding him until Marysville police arrived, prosecutors said.

Investigators said it all happened shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday.

At Tuesday's arraignment, Hartbower was also assigned a public defender. The district attorney requested that he be held without bail, and the judge denied bail, and Hartbower will remain in custody.

His next court date is scheduled for Nov. 4.