Judge Declines Bail for Man Charged with June 9th Killing of His Boyfriend

A judge declined to set any bail June 17^th for a man suspected of killing his boyfriend in a downtown motel.

Ryan Edward Breeland, 41, pleaded not guilty to a murder charge in the June 9^th death of Kenneth Banks, 32, whose body was found in a motel in the 1300 block of 10^th Avenue in downtown San Diego.

The room was registered to Breeland and he had checked out. The body was discovered by a motel staff member who called San Diego Police.

The murder charge says Breeland used a knife in the crime, but a prosecutor said Banks died from blunt force trauma to his face and head.

Attorneys did not make an argument about bail at the June 17^th arraignment before San Diego Superior Court Judge, Joseph Branigan, so he left the no bail status in place.

The arraignment took place at 5:17 p.m. on a long calendar, on what was the first day of in-person arraignments now that the courts have re-opened. During the coronavirus outbreak, live streamed audio of hearings took place, but that has been discontinued.

A preliminary hearing was set for Aug. 23^rd and Breeland waived his right to have it heard earlier. His attorney, Shonte Hobson, asked for discovery materials from the prosecution.

Breeland is from Allendale, South Carolina. He has a felony conviction in South Carolina, and he was booked here on a parole violation. He was also convicted of assault in 2015 in San Diego, according to court records.

Breeland’s Facebook page reveals he is in a relationship. He describes himself on Facebook as “laid back quiet easy to get along with down to earth guy who just likes to chill and have fun!”

A funeral service for Banks is scheduled for July 2 at the California Cremation & Burial in National City. Banks lived in San Diego.