A pre-trial hearing for a 57-year-old Montana man accused of killing a former Denver disc jockey in 2006 and allegedly dumping the victim's remains off the coast of Catalina Island was postponed Thursday.
Defendant Harvey Morrow is charged with first-degree murder and an enhancement that alleges the slaying was carried out for profit.
Morrow was a close friend of the victim, Steven B. Williams. In the years before Williams' killing, the two men had planned to sail the world on Morrow's 69-foot boat, authorities said.
At the time of Morrow's arrest and extradition from Great Falls, Mont., to Long Beach, Los Angeles County sheriff's investigators said it was an argument over money that likely spurred Morrow to deadly violence.
"There was approximately $1.9 million missing from Steven's account. We know that money went into Harvey Morrow's account. Steven talked to a close friend the night before and told the friend he was going to confront Harvey Morrow and tell him that he wanted his money back," said Homicide Lt. Al Grotefend.
"We believe that's what caused the actual confrontation which resulted in this murder," the lieutenant said.
Sheriff's investigators said there are no eyewitnesses and no murder weapon was ever found.
An
autopsy determined that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to
Williams' head but a coroner's examiner testified earlier this year
that the wound could have been self-inflicted, or suicide, or
murder; there is no way to know for certain.
The
defense argued both those factors as reasons to dismiss the charge
against Morrow at Morrow's preliminary hearing
in January. The court did not agree and ruled there was sufficient evidence to try Morrow for the slaying of Williams.
The
victim's death made headlines in several states across the country due
in large part to Williams' career as a disc jockey in Denver. "Steven B," as he was known on the air, was half of the popular "Steven B and the Hawk" morning show on KBPI in the 1980s.
Morrow
was ordered on Thursday to return to the Long Beach Superior Court on Dec. 17 for a pre-trial hearing. He remains jailed and no trial date has been set.
Thank you, Tracy, for following this story, for keeping it alive.
My brother was not the only victim of this crime.
Thanks for following this story as there are more people who were affected by this man and his crimes.
Good post, thanks