A Palmdale actor who portrayed one of the Power Rangers in the children’s television program denied killing his roommate with a sword at his arraignment on Friday.

Ricardo Medina, 37, pleaded not guilty to one count of murder in the slaying of his roommate, Josh Sutter, on Jan. 31, 2015. He’s due back in court Oct. 20 and faces up to 26 years to life in prison if convicted.

Medina allegedly stabbed Sutter multiple times with a sword at their Green Valley home.

Minutes before the stabbing, Medina and Sutter argued over how Medina’s girlfriend had parked her car, Lt. Victor Lewandowski of the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau told The Times after Medina’s arrest.


Medina felt that Sutter had disrespected his girlfriend, Lewandowski said. Medina then his bedroom with his girlfriend when, prosecutors say, Sutter followed them and forced the door open.

Medina grabbed a sword that he kept near the door and stabbed Sutter multiple times in the abdomen, prosecutors said.

Medina called 911 and remained at the scene. He was arrested soon after, but the district attorney’s office did not file charges until nearly a year later.

The agency asked the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department to continue investigating the killing, according to Jane Robison, a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office.


Medina had claimed he stabbed Sutter in self-defense when he was first interviewed, Lewandowski said.

Aside from one-off appearances on “CSI: Miami” and “ER,” Medina was mostly known for portraying the Red Lion Wild Force Ranger in “Power Rangers Wild Force” from 2002 to 2003. He also played the villainous character “Deker” in “Power Rangers Samurai” in 2011 and 2012.

Joseph.serna@latimes.com

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