By Gracy Joslin
WOODLAND, CA- In a preliminary hearing on Tuesday in Yolo County Superior Court, the accused was facing two felony charges and two misdemeanors for alleged attempted murder, possession of firearm by a person previously convicted of a felony, purchasing of a handgun without an identification mark, and destroying evidence.
The judge found enough evidence was presented for the accused to stand trial.
The facts of the case, as presented by the prosecution, noted that on March 19 of this year, West Sacramento Police Officers were dispatched to Silvey’s Motel regarding a shooting that had just occurred.
When Officer Jonas Eiremo arrived at the scene, he said in his testimony that he saw a male lying on the ground in the doorway of a motel room with no shirt on and that he “initially noticed a gunshot wound to the lower left chest.”
According to Detective Nvard Avagyan, who interviewed a witness who had been staying right next door, “he heard a gunshot and then heard banging. He looked out and saw the victim banging on the door, but he didn’t want to open the door because he wasn’t sure where the suspect was.”
Moreover, the motel witness said he then saw the shooting victim remove his bloody shirt and lie on the floor while the accused fled the scene.
This same motel neighbor told officers he heard arguing between the accused and the victim, which was on and off throughout the day.
When Detective Avagyan talked to the victim, he claimed that he just met the accused and she needed a place to stay for the night. Since he needed the money, they agreed to split the price of the stay.
When asking about the content of the arguments that occurred between the two, the victim told the detective that it was about her not bathing, claiming “she smelled foul and urinated on herself and wasn’t taking a shower.”
Eventually later in the evening, the victim said he was bending over to grab a sweatshirt, turned around and saw the accused pointing a gun at him. Before being able to say anything, she had fired the gun, striking him in the chest and left the room.
Two other officers testified and said they saw surveillance video of a female subject walking away from the motel and an “outline of a frame that appeared to be a semiautomatic handgun” which was allegedly discarded by the accused and later retrieved by a police canine.
In the end, Judge Timothy L. Fall determined there was sufficient evidence to move along to a jury trial. This case will be back for arraignment May 3, prior to setting a trial date.
