BUTTE COUNTY, CA (MPG) - A jury on June 3 convicted a homeless man of the August 2021 stabbing of another homeless man in their Comanche Creek homeless encampment. 

Jedidiah James Wright, 30, was found guilty of a single count of second-degree murder following a six-day jury trial, and two full days of deliberations. The charge stemmed from an incident at Comanche Creek in Chico, where Wright fatally stabbed the victim, John Snoberger, 47, on August 1, 2021.

Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey said that during the trial, evidence was presented that in the summer of 2021, both Wright and Snoberger were living at the homeless encampment in the Comanche Creek Greenway near the intersection of E. Park Avenue and the Midway. Snoberger had a camp near the front north entrance, while Wright had a camp near the south back of the camp. 

Witnesses from the encampment testified during the trial that Snoberger had just returned from a convenience store down the street and was at his camp when Wright approached and asked his name. Snoberger identified himself and was almost immediately stabbed directly in the chest by Wright with a two-inch long knife he had concealed in his back pocket. A later autopsy showed the knife pierced Snoberger’s heart leading to his rapid death. Evidence was also presented that the attack was unprovoked, and Wright stabbed Snoberger without warning.

At the trial, Wright took the stand on his own behalf and claimed Snoberger had swung at him first during their encounter. However, Wright also admitted on the stand he lied to Chico police detectives during his initial interview with them and admitted that though he thought Snoberger might have had something in his hand, it did not appear to be a blade or a firearm.

Ramsey said his trial attorneys, deputy district attorneys Jessica Miller and Stephanie Roose, argued to the jury that even if Snoberger swung on Wright prior to the stab, self-defense was not applicable as Wright used much more force than was necessary to defend himself against the older and smaller Snoberger. In addition, evidence was presented at trial that Wright was friends with a man that Snoberger had bested in a fight the day before. The prosecutors proposed the attack on Snoberger was in retaliation for that earlier fight and that Wright had been seen earlier on the day of the stabbing “scoping out” Snoberger’s camp. 

Drone footage, provided by Chico police, also showed how far Wright had to walk to get to Snoberger’s camp – some 14 minutes - as well as other paths of travel he could have taken to avoid Snoberger’s camp.

Wright remains in custody at the Butte County Jail with no bail. He is currently scheduled for sentencing on June 30, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. where he faces a 16-year to life term in state prison.