19-year-old Petaluman pleads not guilty in stabbing death of his father

A 19-year-old Petaluma man who police say admitted to fatally stabbing his father in August pleaded not guilty to a murder charge Thursday in Sonoma County Superior Court.

Appearing before Judge John Behnke, Christopher Hopkins was expected to return to court Oct. 14 for a preliminary hearing before Judge Christopher Honigsberg.

Hopkins, who was charged Aug. 23 with a single count of felony murder, is accused of killing his 49-year-old father, Petaluma resident James Hopkins Jr. Police found the elder Hopkins’ body on Aug. 21 at his home in the 400 block of Acadia Drive, after receiving a call from a friend of Christopher’s. The friend told police the younger Hopkins had recently alluded to hurting himself.

Investigators believe Hopkins Jr. had been deceased for several days. No other details were provided about the circumstances.

Christopher Hopkins, who police say admitted the killing to police officers who went to his home on Aug. 21, is being held at the Sonoma County jail without bail.

In 2018, Christopher Hopkins was seriously injured in a car crash, after which his father reportedly stayed by his hospital bedside daily as he recovered. At the time, he was a 14-year-old freshman at Casa Grande High School.

“He's a very happy and mellow kid,” the elder Hopkins said of his son then. “He's probably one of the sweetest souls I've ever known.”