Opening statements to be heard Thursday in Lozada murder trial
A jury was seated this afternoon in the murder trial of Victor Aaron Alburto Lozada, and opening statements are scheduled to be delivered by attorneys Thursday morning in Riverside Superior Court, according to online court minutes.
Background info from Monday's item:
RIVERSIDE -- Jury selection began this afternoon in the murder trial of an Upland man accused of participating in a robbery that led to the death of an Ontario woman in 2003.
Aaron Alburto Lozada, 35, has already stood trial twice in Riverside Superior Court for the killing, but each time jurors deadlocked 11-1 in favor of conviction and mistrials were declared.
Jury selection in the case is set to continue Tuesday morning.
In Lozada's most recent trial, which ended in December, a prosecutor told jurors that Lozada dropped off two co-conspirators on Aug. 15, 2003 near the home of Jessica de la Torre, 18.
Prosecutors accused the men of robbing the woman, burglarizing her home and beating her into unconsciousness before putting her in the trunk of her father's car, which they then stole.
Lozada is accused of helping one of the men dump De la Torre's body at the foot of the Jurupa Mountains, then driving the men to ATM machines to use stolen bank cards.
Lozada's alleged co-conspirators -- Jesus Penuelas and Sergio Arias -- have both been convicted of murder. Penuelas was sentenced to death and Arias was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
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