A 39-year-old Redding man had a court appearance this week in the murder case of a Burney gas station cashier. David Wicks was killed December 21st at the Rocky Ledge Shell in Johnson Park by a man wearing a yellow rain suit with his face concealed. Surveillance footage shows the killer scattering a flammable liquid around the store and on Wicks before lighting the place up on his way out the door. He rode away on a bicycle as wicks burned to death. DNA analysis of several items found around Johnson Park pointed to Juan Manuel Venegas, a longtime former resident of Fall River Mills, Burney and Johnson Park. He was arrested January 19th on Telecaster Lane in West Redding. No motive has been identified. The district attorney’s office has charged Venegas with premeditated murder with special circumstances, including a torture allegation. They’ve not yet said if they’ll seek the death penalty. Venegas has pleaded not guilty. The prosecution will need to show some evidence to hold Venegas when he returns to court for his preliminary hearing on March 24th.