Frank Carson of Turlock, Baljit Athwal, and Daljit Atwal, both of Ceres, all came up with the needed funds to post bail in their ongoing murder trail after the judge revoked their release.

The three men are all currently on trial for murder and other charges for the death of Turlock resident Korey Kauffman. The defendants had been released on their own recognizance in December 2016 because of additional delays in their preliminary hearing. The release came with certain restrictions, one of which was to avoid communicating with each other. 

On Aug. 28 Judge Barbara Zuniga revoked their release because it was discovered the three men had been in contact with one another. In order to remain out of custody for the remainder of their trial, Carson was ordered to post a bail of $600,000; Daljit Atwal needed a bail of $250,000; and Baljit Athwal had to post $200,000. All three men were able to post their bails on Tuesday, according to the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office.

Carson and the two brothers, who own the Pop N’ Cork stores in Turlock, have been accused of murder for Kauffman’s death in 2012. The district attorney’s office claims Carson was angry over thefts at his property on Ninth Street that he believed were being committed by his neighbor Michael Cooley. The prosecution contends Carson set into motion a series of events that led to the two brothers confronting Kauffman on Carson’s property and fatally shooting him.

Kauffman was last seen by Cooley on March 30, 2012 as he left the Lander Avenue home to go to a property on Ninth Street. The district attorney’s office claims Kauffman was headed to Carson’s property to take some irrigation pipes that had been left out as “bait” to catch the thieves.

An 18-month long preliminary hearing ended with the three defendants being ordered to stand trial for the murder charge. The trial began in April and continues to proceed with witness testimony.