Jurors deadlocked in Lozada murder trial

Pictured (L-R): Jessica de la Torre and Victor Aaron Alburto Lozada.

RIVERSIDE -- Jurors announced this morning that they were deadlocked 10-2 in favor of a guilty verdict for Victor Lozada, an Upland man charged with murder for his alleged involvement in the brutal 2003 robbery, rape and killing of 18-year-old Jessica de la Torre of Ontario.

Lozada's attorney, Mike Schaaf, said that 10 jurors favor a guilty verdict for first-degree murder, one juror favors acquittal, and another juror can't decide whether Lozada is guilty or not guilty.

The judge overseeing Lozada's trial in Riverside Superior Court is expected to instruct jurors to continue deliberating. But if the jury remains deadlocked a mistrial could be declared as early as this morning, Schaaf said.

Lozada's current murder trial is his third. The first two trials ended in mistrials after juries deadlocked 11-1 in favor of guilty verdicts.