DNA credited with Stabbing Conviction - Coto de Caza Stabbing still under Investigation
Posted by: CotoBlogzz | 08/14/2008 5:53 PM
The OCDA announced that Carlos Martinez, Santa Ana, man was convicted today of murdering an elderly couple by stabbing them to death after being linked to the crime through DNA found on a Pepsi can.
We still do not know if the linkage was made after the the OCSD Forensics lab obtained ASCLD/LAB Accreditation - if so, this may justify the recent OCSD publicity stunt.
At approximately 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 29, 2004, Martinez went to the Santa Ana home of Nicholas Casas, 83, and Emilia Casas, 73, with the intention of burglarizing the couple's house. The married couple had their house up for sale and was planning to move to Riverside so that one of their children could help to care for them. Martinez was able to enter the home by pretending to be a prospective buyer. Shortly after he arrived, one of the victim's daughters called the house and spoke to her parents, who told her they were excited to have a potential buyer at the residence. After the victims had spoken to their daughter, the defendant stabbed each victim several times using steak knives from the kitchen and left their bodies on the floor before ransacking the house. He drank a Pepsi and left the can on the kitchen counter.
Martinez was in the home until approximately 8:00 p.m., but fled the scene empty handed after being startled away, possibly by the arrival of another of the Casas' daughters. A neighbor witnessed someone running
from the porch of the victim's home at approximately the same time one of the daughters arrived to check on her parents.
The daughter, who regularly visited her parents, found the victims on the floor in the living room. The ransacked house was covered in blood, including smears on the walls. Items from the crime scene, including the Pepsi can, were tested and the defendant was later linked to the crime through DNA. The defendant's DNA was also found in a bloody
handprint on a pillow in the bedroom and on a drawer in the hallway.
On the other hand, the investigation of an 18th birthday celebration in Coto de Caza in an early July weekend, where allegedly spirits were flowing freely and party-goers ranged in age from 18 to late 20s and the homeowner was there at the time, eventually turned into a stabbing incident, where a 25-year-old party guest had to be taken to the hospital with several stab wounds, is still open
As of now, the OCSD has not closed the investigation, or filed any charges. Wondering if this is an ASCLD/LAB Accreditation thing?
We still do not know if the linkage was made after the the OCSD Forensics lab obtained ASCLD/LAB Accreditation - if so, this may justify the recent OCSD publicity stunt.
At approximately 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 29, 2004, Martinez went to the Santa Ana home of Nicholas Casas, 83, and Emilia Casas, 73, with the intention of burglarizing the couple's house. The married couple had their house up for sale and was planning to move to Riverside so that one of their children could help to care for them. Martinez was able to enter the home by pretending to be a prospective buyer. Shortly after he arrived, one of the victim's daughters called the house and spoke to her parents, who told her they were excited to have a potential buyer at the residence. After the victims had spoken to their daughter, the defendant stabbed each victim several times using steak knives from the kitchen and left their bodies on the floor before ransacking the house. He drank a Pepsi and left the can on the kitchen counter.
Martinez was in the home until approximately 8:00 p.m., but fled the scene empty handed after being startled away, possibly by the arrival of another of the Casas' daughters. A neighbor witnessed someone running
from the porch of the victim's home at approximately the same time one of the daughters arrived to check on her parents.
The daughter, who regularly visited her parents, found the victims on the floor in the living room. The ransacked house was covered in blood, including smears on the walls. Items from the crime scene, including the Pepsi can, were tested and the defendant was later linked to the crime through DNA. The defendant's DNA was also found in a bloody
handprint on a pillow in the bedroom and on a drawer in the hallway.
On the other hand, the investigation of an 18th birthday celebration in Coto de Caza in an early July weekend, where allegedly spirits were flowing freely and party-goers ranged in age from 18 to late 20s and the homeowner was there at the time, eventually turned into a stabbing incident, where a 25-year-old party guest had to be taken to the hospital with several stab wounds, is still open
As of now, the OCSD has not closed the investigation, or filed any charges. Wondering if this is an ASCLD/LAB Accreditation thing?
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General OC Stuff
Mr. Ayer registered as a Republican to be electable in an interim election with no incumbents. He did...
Maybe the July stabbing is still under investigation because the spoiled Coto kids aren't cooperating, or they have "lawyered up." I am sure the OCSD what the case closed just as much as the residences do.
Why would the case not being closed be related to the lab accreditation? You're really beating the accreditation horse to death.
Anon:
Not sure what the "spoiled Coto Kids" have to do with an OCSD investigation that is close to 30 days old and most of the facts seem to be on the table - including tons of DNA samples...
On the other hand, why is it the Neuner has refused to answer the following:
"How does the ASCLD/LAB explain that before the OSCD Forensics lab can spend 0.002857143% (ASCLD/LAB' accreditation invoice) of the total OCSD department yearly budget, it had to go through a procurement process ultimately authorized by the Sheriff's Department?
"In order to respond to a simple question to the forensics lab, one has to go through the Freedom of Information Act, then the information must be approved by the Sheriffs Public Affairs and the Support Services Division?"
"What challenges, or opportunities for the ASCLD/LAB's accreditation of the OCSD were created by Dr. Dean Gia1amas' previous association with the ASCLD/LAB?"
In other words, OCSD lab accreditation is more for the show, and not the dough.....