Opening arguments began Monday, Jan. 27, in the trial of a man accused of murdering his grandmother and setting her house on fire while his then 8-year-old brother and 3-year-old niece were inside the home. The 8-year-old got the 3-year-old out of the burning building.
According to a statement issued last week by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Joseph Elija Ettima, 30, is charged with one felony count of murder, one felony count of arson of an inhabited dwelling, two felony counts of child abuse, one felony count of criminal threats, and a sentencing enhancement for arson with an accelerant. If convicted on all counts, Ettima faces a sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole. Ettima is not facing the death penalty.
Ettima has entered pleas of “not guilty” to all of the charges, according to the Orange County Superior Court website.
The court held several hearings on the defendant’s mental competence to stand trial in 2012 and 2013.
Opening statements were expected to begin Monday, Jan. 27, 2014, at 10 a.m. in Department C-41, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
According to the authorities, on Jan. 19, 2009, Ettima, is accused of visiting the Los Alamitos home of his 69-year-old grandmother, Emma Louise Hardwick–Street, to see if he could move in with her. Hardwick-Street was already raising two young children in her home including the defendant’s 8-year-old brother and 3-year-old niece.
According to prosecutors, when Hardwick–Street refused to let Ettima move in, the Ettima allegedly argued with his grandmother and stabbed her to death.
The two children were present in the home at the time that Ettima is accused of murdering Hardwick-Street.
Prosecutors say Ettima doused clothes and other flammable items in the house with rubbing alcohol and set the home on fire. He is accused of fleeing the scene, leaving the two children. The 8-year-old boy was able to escape from the fire to the front of the house and rescued the 3-year-old girl by taking her with him.
Los Alamitos Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the United States Marshals Service.
A warrant was issued for the defendant on Jan. 21, 2009. He was arrested by the United States Marshals Service in a town south of Mexico City and deported from Mexico to the United States on April 14, 2009.
Crime Log Compiled by Charles M. Kelly
IN SEAL?BEACH
Monday, January 20
Animal Information—4:52 p.m.—Dolphin and Ocean—The caller said a dog inside a vehicle had been barking for the past couple of hours.
Tuesday, January 21
Theft—8:28 a.m.—14th Street—Someone stole a stereo from the caller’s pick-up truck between 9 p.m., Monday, Jan. 20, and the time of the call to police. Point of entry: unknown.
The vehicle may have been unlocked. If the vehicle was unlocked, the property was stolen from a vehicle. If the vehicle was stolen, the crime was a vehicle burglary.
Dead Coyote—8:37 a.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—Police unit 442 observed a dead coyote against the fence just south of police headquarters, between the station and Heron Point homes.
Vehicle Burglary—2:01 p.m.—Heron Point and Seal Beach Boulevard—The caller said someone took a purse from a car parked in the public parking area during the 15 minutes prior to the call to police. No suspect information. Report taken.
Wednesday, January 22
Stray Animal—11:58 p.m.—Montecito Road—The caller’s dog slipped his collar when the caller took the dog for a walk three hours earlier. The caller searched for the dog, but could not find him. The caller said the dog was chipped. The caller had already notified other law enforcement agencies and was going to call Long Beach Animal Care Services.
According the dispatch log, by 12:44 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 23, the dog and its owner were reunited.
IN LOS?ALAMITOS
Friday, January 10
Disturbance—11:31 a.m.— Cerritos Avenue and Los Alamitos Boulevard—The caller reported two women with pitbulls left off leash to attack the caller. The dogs did not bite the caller. The two women were located by the overpass, and patrol advised them to turn around. The caller was advised to move out of the area with the two women.
Saturday, January 11
Assisting OCFA—10:12 a.m.—Farnham Avenue—Orange County Fire Authority was in route to a woman having a psychotic breakdown. She was 34 years old and had possibly taken methamphetamine. She acted confused and disoriented. No weapons involved. She was in verbal argument with her mother and aunt about taking the drug, and its effect on the woman’s 8-year-old son. The woman left her son at the mother’s home, and left for the day.
Sunday, January 12
Missing Adult—12:29 p.m.—Lexington Drive—The caller reported a soldier who was staying at Courtyard by Marriot the previous night as missing although all her property was still there. The soldier’s mother was contacted, and said she’d be calling Murrieta Police Department to file a missing person’s report. The mother said the soldier went missing approximately one to two years ago. Counseled.
Disturbance—6:17 p.m.—Katella Avenue—The caller said a 21-year-old man, a patient, tried to run out of the hospital emergency room, and that he needed to be restrained for a psychiatric hold. The man was now back inside, but was argumentative. Patrol assisted the man into restraints.
Monday, January 13
Disturbance—11:59 a.m.—Cottonwood and Katella Avenue—The caller reported a man kicking and hitting his pitbull puppies. The man was upset, throwing items and kicking the puppies. The caller said the man might be a transient and had an open knife in his hand. The man told police that he wasn’t kicking his dogs, but was trying to prevent them from going into street.
Tuesday, January 14
Welfare Check—11:46 a.m.—Los Alamitos Boulevard and Cerritos Avenue—The caller reported a boy kneeling next to a black dog in the street near the freeway overpass. It was unknown if dog got hit by a vehicle or not.
IN ROSSMOOR
Tuesday, January 21
Citizen Assist—8:59 a.m.—Piedmont Avenue—The caller wanted to speak in person with a deputy about possible criminal threats from a former friend.
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—11:45 a.m.—Wembley Road—A citizen received a phone call from an individual claiming to be her grandson and claiming that he had an emergency. The suspect was apparently going to call back. The citizen wanted to talk to a deputy about the suspicious call.
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—3:46 p.m.—Foster Road—A citizen wanted to report the attempted burglary of her home while she was out of town during the weekend.
Suspicious Person in Vehicle—10:29 p.m.—Rowena Drive—The caller said noises were coming from inside a van parked in front of the caller’s location.
Keep the Peace—10:37 p.m.—Drysdale Lane—The caller said her son’s girlfriend was being rude and the caller did not want the girlfriend there. The son invited the girlfriend and wanted her to stay.
Thursday, January 23
Burglary in Progress—12:37 a.m.—Rowena Drive and St. Cloud Drive—The caller caught a man trying to get into the caller’s car. The suspect ran off and the caller chased him. The suspect was last seen hiding in the bushes.
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—8:35 a.m.—Foster Road—The caller said she saw a man climb the fence into a yard. The man had a dog that was now running in the street. The caller said she would try to secure the dog.
Sunday, January 26
Burglary Report—12:16 p.m.—Silverwood Drive.
Ted Apodaca of the News-Enterprise contributed to this article.
