‘You have to respect me, I am your lord’: Dublin murder suspect arrested in Southern California

DUBLIN — Police here have arrested a man on suspicion of murder in connection with a recent shooting, but court records indicate that their suspect came dangerously close to picking up a similar charge in Florida four years ago.

The suspect, identified by police as 38-year-old Nicholas Paleveda, was charged in Gainesville, Florida in 2020 with aggravated assault on his roommate. In that case, Paleveda allegedly kicked open the door to his roommate’s bedroom, aimed a silver gun at his chest and pulled the trigger. But the gun malfunctioned and failed to fire, according to court records.

“You have to respect me, I am your lord,” Paleveda allegedly repeated to the victim and a witness several times, before ushering them out of the room. He later accepted a plea deal and a three-year probation term, court records show.

Now, Paleveda is back in police custody, this time for allegedly killing a 37-year-old man at the Emerald Park Apartments on Hacienda Drive in Dublin. Police say the shooting occurred at about 2:20 p.m. on Friday and that Paleveda fled after killing the victim. He was arrested on Saturday in Barstow, outside of a local Walmart, police said.

A Dublin police news release says that investigators are still working to verify how Paleveda and the victim knew one another. They’re expected to bring the case to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office for filing this week.

Witnesses can contact the Dublin police Department at 833-6670.