ROANOKE, Va. – UPDATE
The jury trial has been pushed back for Brian Salazar, the man charged in a Downtown Roanoke assault case, according to court documents.
His original trial date was set for Jan. 22, 2024. Documents show the trial has been continued to June 24 and June 25.
According to court records, Salazar has pleaded not guilty to murder in the second degree.
ORIGINAL STORY
A man has been charged in the July Downtown Roanoke assault that left another man dead, according to court documents.
Courts obtained by 10 News on Monday (August 14) showed that Brian Salazar of Roanoke is now facing a second-degree murder charge in connection with the death of Paul Wortham, also known as Jay Wright.
Records show that Salazar was indicted by a grand jury last week.
As we previously reported, police said the assault happened just before 1 a.m. on July 4 in the lobby area of the Parkway Building on Kirk Avenue.
According to the search warrant, officers watched surveillance video, which shows that the victim had been punched in the face, fell to the ground, and hit his head. He was taken to the hospital where he later died.
The initial police report stated the man involved in the assault had left the scene and later returned to speak with detectives - they did not identify that man. It’s not clear if the person officers initially talked to was Salazar, who turned himself in last week.
Salazar is due back in court on Sept. 5.