Now that December is here, it’s time to look at the status of the Sun Region’s felony criminal cases. Space limits the number of cases that can be covered in a single article. Cases are listed on the basis of the next scheduled court date.
Seal Beach nursing home murder case: arraignment set for Nov. 30
Roy Charles Laird, 88, was charged last week with one count of murder and with one enhancement of personally discharging a firearm, resulting in the death of his 86-year-old wife.
The term “enhancement” means that if the jury finds a defendant is guilty of both the basic crime and the enhancement, additional time could be added to the defendant’s sentence.
According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Laird could be sentenced to 50 years to life, meaning the 88-year-old man would have to wait 50 years to be eligible for parole.
In California, murder carries a penalty of 25 years to life.
Laird was scheduled to be arraigned in custody on Tuesday, Nov. 23.
According to the Orange County Superior Court Web site, Laird’s public defender waived the hearing.
According to the Seal Beach Police Department Facebook page, the arraignment has been postponed.
An arraignment is not a trial or even a preliminary hearing, which determines if a defendant goes to trial.
At an arraignment, charges are read and the defendant enters a plea.
Laird has been accused of shooting his 86-year-old wife Clara Laird once in the head on Sunday, Nov. 21, in her apartment in the Country Villa Healthcare Center just outside of Leisure World.
The DA’s Office reported that the victim was in late-stage dementia.
Laird is currently in the Orange County Jail. According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Web site, bail has been set at $1 million.
Laird was scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday, Nov. 30. Information about the hearing was not available before the Sun went to press.
Child molestation case: trial set to start Jan. 10, 2011
The victim was a child when he was reportedly molested between Jan. 1, 1992 and Dec. 31, 1995 by a priest in Costa Mesa. In July 2008, a lawyer representing the now grown man in an unrelated civil suit reported the abuse to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. The victim’s name is not known. Law enforcement agencies generally don’t release the names of victims of sex crimes.
Leisure World resident Denis Lyons, a retired Catholic priest, was arrested on July 20, 2009.
The DA’s Office filed charges the next day. Lyons, now 76, was charged with four counts of what California law calls a “lewd or lascivious act with a minor.”
Lyons is out on bail, which was originally set at $100,000. Bail was posted by two bail bond companies.
Lyons’ trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 10, 2011.
Los Alamitos murder, arson and child endangerment: case: trial continues Jan. 18, 2010
On Jan. 19, 2009, Emma Louise Hardwick-Street, 69, was murdered in her Los Alamitos apartment.
The apartment was set on fire with two children inside, her 8-year-old grandson and her 3-year-old great niece.
The 8-year-old boy got the 3-year-old girl out of the burning building. Authorities found Hardwick-Street’s body inside.
On April 15, U.S. Marshals arrested the prime suspect in the murder, Joseph Elija Ettima, now 27, in Mexico.
Ettima was the victim’s grandson, the 8-year-old boy’s brother and the 3-year-old girl’s uncle.
At the time, the media said Ettima would face the death penalty.
However, Farrah Emami, the DA’s spokesperson, told the Sun earlier this year that the death penalty was never discussed in the Ettima case.
The trial is scheduled to continue on Jan. 18, 2011, just one day shy of the second anniversary of the woman’s murder.
Seal Beach attempted
murder case: arraignment to continue Jan. 18, 2011
A Seal Beach man was stabbed in his head and torso on Thursday morning, Oct. 14, 2010.
The Seal Beach Police Department arrested the victim’s son, Dalton Aguirre, 22, of Seal Beach that same day.
Aguirre is in the Orange County Jail. Bail has been set at $1 million. He is being represented by three attorneys with the Public Defender’s Office.
His arraignment is scheduled to continue on Jan. 28, 2011.
Seal Beach fatal child abuse case: preliminary hearing to continue Jan. 28, 2011
Millicent Wilborn died on Dec. 17, 2009. She was 22 months old. Her twin brother suffered a skull fracture on that day, but lived. There is no evidence that either of their two siblings were ever mistreated. According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, their father was at work at the time the children were harmed. The family apparently lived in U.S. Navy housing in Seal Beach.
Their mother Linda Wilborn, 32, was arrested on Feb. 8, 2010. The DA’s Office charged Linda Wilborn with one count of child assault resulting in death and three counts of child abuse and endangerment.
According to the DA’s office, the charge of fatal child abuse is the equivalent of murder because the penalty is the same as a murder charge: 25 years to life in prison.
Linda Wilborn is in Orange County Jail. Bail has been set at $1 million.
Wilborn’s preliminary hearing began June 18, 2010. The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to determine if a case will go to trial.
Wilborn’s preliminary hearing is scheduled to continue on Jan. 28, 2011.
JFTB murder case: pre-trial hearing set for Feb. 25, 2011
When the case began, the Costa Mesa Police Department honestly considered murder victim Samuel Herr, 26, a suspect in the murder of Irvine resident Juri Julie Kibuishi, 23. Herr’s father found Kibuishi’s body in Herr’s Costa Mesa apartment on Saturday, May 22.
At the time, Costa Mesa Police didn’t know that Herr had been murdered on Friday, May 21, in the Liberty Theatre on the grounds of the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos.According to Costa Mesa Police, Kibuishi’s murder was staged to look like an attempted rape. Apparently her killer was attempting to frame the late Samuel Herr for the crime.
Herr’s torso was eventually found on the Los Alamitos military base, effectively clearing the deceased of responsibility in Kibuishi’s murder. Herr’s other remains were found in El Dorado Park in Long Beach.
Long Beach Police Department investigators eventually found a 17-year-old boy using Herr’s ATM card.
Costa Mesa Police arrested Daniel Wozniak, 26, for both murders on May 27.
The Orange County district Attorney’s Office has charged Wozniak with two counts of murder, with enhancements on each count for using a firearm, murder for financial gain and (if convicted on both charges) for being convicted of an additional murder.
He is being held without bail in the Orange County Jail. No preliminary hearing has been scheduled yet. He has a pre-trial hearing scheduled for Feb. 25, 2011.
Crime Log Assembled by Charles M. Kelly
The crimes listed in the Sun Newspapers were reported to Seal Beach Police Department, Los Alamitos Police Department and Orange County Sheriff Department between Nov. 15 and Nov. 27, 2010. Only street names are used; times given are reported times, not incident times. Crime Log entries are based on preliminary information. Space limitations make it impossible to publish every incident. Until proven guilty in a court of law, all suspects are considered innocent.
IN SEAL BEACH
Monday, November 15
Bike Stop—2:30 a.m.—Catalina Avenue—This bike stop resulted in a man’s arrest on a bench warrant for violations of the California Vehicle Code. In addition, he was arrested and booked for a misdemeanor drug possession charge.
Dog in Vehicle—12:25 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—The caller said a small poodle was panting inside a car. Message relayed to Long Beach Animal Care Services at 12:26 p.m. However, the car had left by 12:29 p.m. The call was canceled before an ACS unit arrived.
Tuesday, November 16
Counseling—12:13 p.m.—Saturn Way—A Seal Beach resident went to police headquarters to report being the victim of an Internet scam. Loss: $62,150.
Wednesday, November 17
Suspicious Circumstances—3:42 a.m.—Anchor Way—A resident phoned security and said someone might be trying to break in. Police unit 217 responded. As a result of this call, a suspect was arrested for attempted burglary.
Thursday, November 18
Suspicious Occupied Vehicle—4:32 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—The caller said a white pick up truck was blocking in elderly people. Then the passenger would get out and ask the elderly questions about paying him to repair their bumpers. The driver would stay in the vehicle. The caller reported the same information to security personnel at the location. The driver was described as a Hispanic man. The passenger was described as a Hispanic man in his 30s or 40s, short with a stocky build and facial hair growth.
Petty Theft—9:43 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway—The caller said a bike was taken from the location. The bike lock was cut. The crime occurred between 5 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Friday, November 19
Disturbance, Juveniles—1:44 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard—The caller said four male juveniles were jumping in front of vehicles as they drove into the shopping center, frightening the drivers. The address of the shopping center was redacted (blacked out) in the log.
Foot Patrol—11:26 p.m.—Ocean Avenue—While on foot patrol, the officer assigned to unit 216 encountered an individual who had locked their keys in their car. Assisted.
IN LEISURE WORLD
Tuesday, November 16
Weapon Destruction Requested—9:34 a.m.—St. John Road, Mutual Unknown—A Leisure World resident went to police headquarters to turn in a small handgun. The weapon was in the trunk of the resident’s car.
Wednesday, November 17
Counseling—6:23 a.m.—Sunningdale Road, Mutual 14—A resident reported a possible scam. The citizen received several calls from different individuals asking for money and advising that he had won money. Report taken.
Vehicle Burglary—6:51 p.m.—St. Andrews Drive, Mutual Unknown—The point of entry was apparently a passenger side window. There was no apparent loss. The caller described two suspects who left the scene in a dark, late 1980s two-door sedan described as dark gray, green or black. The first suspect wore a dark hoodie with the hood up. There was white lettering on the back of the hoodie. The second suspect was also wearing a hoodie with the hood up.
Thursday, November 18
Identity Theft—12:12 p.m.—Interlachen Road, Mutual Unknown—Someone opened an account using the resident’s information. Report taken.
IN ROSSMOOR
Monday, November 22
Disturbance, Music or Party—12:45 a.m.—Montecito Road.
Assault Report—9:38 a.m.—Blume Drive—Report taken. No further details were available.
Tuesday, November 23
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—6:36 p.m.—Montecito Road and Loring Drive—Deputies determined there was nothing suspicious going on. No report needed.
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—10:06 p.m.—Angler Lane—No report needed.
Wednesday, November 24
Welfare Check—7:06 a.m.—Wembley Road—Deputies determined there was nothing suspicious going on. No report needed.
Unknown Trouble—9:08 p.m.—Shakespeare Drive—Deputies determined there was nothing suspicious going on. No report needed..
Friday, November 26
Petty Theft Report—1:14 p.m.—Kittrick Drive—Report taken.
Keep the Peace—6:07 p.m.—Mainway Drive—There was property damage, but no report was needed.
Saturday, November 27
Suspicious Person or Circumstances—2:37 a.m.—Silver Fox Road—No report needed.
IN SUNSET BEACH
Thursday, November 25
Drunk in Public—11:07 a.m.—8th Street—No report needed.
