Pete Belote

Olivewood Memorial Park

Man’s 1913 killing after neighborhood chat in Winchester still mysterious
The 50-year-old victim was a lifelong bachelor who managed his sister's ranch
By KIM JARRELL JOHNSON | backinthedaype@gmail.com | Contributing columnist
PUBLISHED: June 25, 2020 at 10:00 a.m.

Petero “Pete” Belote, 53, was a farmer in the Winchester area who had emigrated here from Italy.
On Sunday, June 1, 1913, Belote, and another man named Miguel Etchart, who was originally from France, went to the home of Paul Vial, a neighbor, to discuss the upcoming grain harvest.
That is the only fact that everyone seemed to agree on. Later that evening, Vial was shot dead. While Belote ended up convicted of the murder, some suspicion was thrown on Etchart as well.
The victim, Vial, 50, was born in France in 1862 and immigrated to the United States when he was 20. He was a lifelong bachelor who had lived in the Winchester area for about 15 years. Vial’s sister had a ranch there, which he managed. After his death, he was buried in the San Jacinto cemetery.
Belote was also a farmer, and had lived in this country 22 years, according to newspaper reports. He was not married and had no relatives in the area. Many articles in the newspaper noted his taciturn and somewhat odd personality and that Belote showed little reaction at his arrest and through court proceedings.
The only supposed witness to the shooting was Miguel Etchart, about whom little is known.
According to Etchart, he and Belote went to Vial’s house about 5 p.m. and the three men talked for an hour and a half. Etchart testified that Belote said he was feeling unwell and accused Vial of bewitching him. Belote demanded Vial give him something to make him better, and Vial replied “I am no doctor. I can’t make you well.” Etchart said Belote then pulled out his gun and shot Vial, killing him instantly.
According to Etchart, Belote looked at him and said, “What do we do now?” Both men then left. It appears Belote went home and Etchart, after stopping in two or three places to tell people about the shooting, ended up at the house of Antonio Domenigoni, the largest rancher in the area. Once Domenigoni heard of the shooting, he called the Sheriff’s Department. Later, it was pointed out that Etchart’s circuitous route to the Domenigoni house was suspicious.
Belote was arrested and charged with Vial’s murder. He said he wasn’t at Vial’s house at the time of the shooting and was walking his fields. However, he had no alibi as no one had seen him at that time. Belote pleaded not guilty.
The trial began July 17, but evidence on both sides was sparse. The district attorney only had Etchart’s story, and a few other witnesses, some of whom testified that they saw Belote driving his wagon towards Vial’s house and others who said Belote wasn’t at home the afternoon and evening of June 1.
The defense attorney questioned Etchart at length. He then called a number of witnesses who, as the Riverside Enterprise reported, testified that Belote’s “record for peace and quiet was good.”
The jury of 12 men deliberated for several hours but could not agree on a verdict. In the end, it was a hung jury, with eight in favor of conviction and four against. The judge set a new trial for November. Domenigoni apparently believed Belote to be innocent, as he put up the bond which got Belote out of jail until the second trial.
The new trial began Nov. 6. No new evidence was introduced, but it appears that Belote’s attorney argued more forcefully that Belote had no reason to kill Vial, as they had been friends and neighbors for many years, whereas Etchart had been in the area only a few years.
The jury began deliberations about 9:30 p.m. and, shortly after midnight, came to a guilty verdict. Belote was immediately put in jail. However, the next morning, he was found dead in his jail cell. An autopsy determined he had smuggled poison into the jail, which he used to end his life. Belote was buried in Olivewood Cemetery in Riverside.
No satisfactory motive was ever given to explain why Belote or Etchart would have wanted to kill Vial. If it was Belote, he was properly found guilty. If it was Etchart, then a guilty man went free.
Whatever the case, we will never really know who killed Paul Vial.
If you have an idea for a future Back in the Day column about a local historic person, place or event, contact Steve Lech and Kim Jarrell Johnson at backinthedaype@gmail.com.

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Pete Belote Obituary | Olivewood Memorial Park