A gay man has pleaded not guilty to a murder charge in the death of a man he had been dating who was stabbed 26 times in National City on July 1.

Fernando Enrique Valenzuela, 46, remains in the downtown central jail in lieu of $1 million bail. He is accused of killing Arturo Ponce, 28. Deputy District Attorney Claudine Ruiz said Valenzuela and Ponce were “in a dating relationship” at the time.

Ponce was found lying on a sidewalk around 5:15 a.m. after people reported hearing screams. Paramedics responded, but he died 20 minutes later. Hours later, witnesses directed National City Police officers to Valenzuela’s home a short distance away.

Officers saw Valenzuela lying on the floor in his home after apparently slashing himself in a suicide attempt. He was initially hospitalized in critical condition, but he was treated and taken to county jail several days later.

A man described as an eyewitness to the incident was threatened with a knife, said Ruiz. Valenzuela is also charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon toward the witness.

Twenty of the 26 wounds were to the victim’s back, said Ruiz to Chula Vista Superior Court Judge H. Ronald Domnitz at his arraignment on July 5. A preliminary hearing was set for Oct. 15.