ALAMOSA — After hearing testimony regarding the defendant’s possible connection to the August 2018 murder of Mathias Fritz, 40, Alamosa County Judge Daniel Walzl on Friday bound the case of Phillip Medina, 36, over to district court.

Charges against Medina include murder in the first degree, aggravated robbery (based on complicity), conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery and accessory to a crime. His first appearance in district court is scheduled for April 3. He remains in custody.

Walzl found probable cause to move the case forward into district court, where it will be heard by District Judge Michael Gonzales. Walzl listened to several witnesses and reviewed evidence including video clips and Facebook conversations during the preliminary hearing on Friday to determine whether to bind the case over to district court.

Information born out in Friday’s testimony placed Medina at the scene either directly prior or during the assault and murder of Fritz on August 9, 2018, at Fritz’s East Alamosa apartment where Fritz, Medina and Fritz’s girlfriend Alma Salazar had had dinner together earlier that night.

Four defendants have been charged in connection with the assault and shooting of Fritz and Salazar, who survived. During an earlier hearing on codefendant Robert Martinez, testimony pointed to Martinez, 29, as the one who pulled the trigger on both Fritz and Salazar. Martinez is a half brother to Medina, with both sharing the same mother although having different fathers.

Also charged in connection with the murder and assaults are Shem Brown, 27, and Shawndon McVey, 25. A more complete account of Friday’s hearing will appear in Tuesday’s Courier.