A young man pleaded guilty sobre Nov. 25 to voluntary manslaughter in the cruel stabbing death of a homeless man who also had a hot barbecue grill placed over his face in Bonita Cove Park.

Daniel Ruben Martin, now 20, faces a maximum sentence of seven years in state prison, said Deputy District Attorney Shane Waller, in the death of Michael Shook, 65, on July 5, 2023.

Waller said Martin had agreed to accept a 7-year term in prison as part of a plea arrangement with the District Attorney’s office. Martin also admitted to personal use of a deadly weapon.

A murder charge was dismissed against him by San Diego Superior Court Judge Rachel Cano, who set sentencing for Jan. 2. Martin remains in the Rock Mountain Detention Facility without bail.

The unclothed body was found on the sand at 5:30 a.m. at 900 West Mission Bay Drive in the Mission Beach area.

Martin’s attorney, Amy Balfe, said it was a 17-year-old boy who stabbed Shook three times and not Martin. The 17-year-old boy’s case is being handled in Juvenile Court and his name is not public record.

Waller said at the preliminary hearing that Martin was “a very active participant” and held the victim’s arms when the juvenile stabbed him.

San Diego Police detective Chris Bernard testified in that hearing that Shook suffered thermal burns on his face from the hot barbecue grill and one of his teeth was found underneath his body following a beating.

“We were taking turns on him, but when we left, I was pretty sure he was dead,” Martin was quoted as saying in an interview with police after he was arrested.

When police showed Martin a photo of Shook’s face, he expressed shock, saying he had never seen such a photo “so bad.”

Waller said in the hearing that Martin “was laughing several times during the interview” with police. Martin was asked why Shook’s clothing was removed from his body, and he replied “We thought it would be cool.”