Man accused in boy's death is on parole for previous assault

VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) — A man accused of beating and stabbing his girlfriend's 3-year-old son to death in Battle Ground is currently on parole for a previous domestic violence assault conviction.

Ricardo Gutierrez appeared in Clark County Superior Court Tuesday on investigation of first-degree murder in the death of Jose Castillo-Cisneros, known as Pepe. He was ordered held on $1.5 million bail.

The Columbian newspaper reports that the 39-year-old was convicted of assaulting a former girlfriend in Jackson County, Oregon.

Court documents show on Monday night, the boy's 9-year-old sister called 911 to say Gutierrez was hitting her brother because the child was crying about a movie. The boy's mother told police she tried to stop Gutierrez. Police said she was injured during the assault.

Gutierrez, who recently moved into the home, reportedly told police he doesn't remember assaulting the boy.

At his court hearing, Gutierrez's lawyer argued for a lower bail.