Elderly suspect in hatchet slaying appears in court
A Pasadena man accused of killing his wife with a hatchet and trying to kill her son earlier this year received a December date for his preliminary hearing Wednesday.
The preliminary hearing for James Che Ming Lu, 85, was scheduled for Dec. 9 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, court officials said.
Prosecutors allege Lu used a hatchet to kill his wife, 55-year-old Michelle Lu, on the morning of July 28 at their home in the 100 block of Rosemead Boulevard in an unincorporated county area near Pasadena.
He then called sheriff's deputies to inform them of the crime, Detective Marcelo Quintero of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
Following the attack, "Mr. Lu called the authorities... and told them essentially that he had injured his wife," Quintero said.
When deputies arrived, they found Michelle Lu suffering from multiple stab wounds apparently inflicted by a hatchet, officials said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
A hatchet believed to be the murder weapon was recovered.
James Lu is also charged with the attempted murder of his wife's son, 32-year-old Ji Ma Zeng, who Quintero said managed to take the hatchet away from Lu after the alleged slaying.
"The son did deflect a blow from the ax and was able to disarm (James Lu)," the detective said.
Zeng fled to a neighbor's house, Quintero said, as James Lu called the sheriff's Temple Station to report the incident.
A judge issued a restraining order in late July, ordering James Lu to stay 500 feet away from Zeng.
Outside of domestic violence, a specific motive in the suspected killing has not been established, Quintero said.
"We know they were arguing," he said. "There was allegedly some fighting."
According to sheriff's booking records, James Lu was being held in lieu of $2 million bail.
He faces life in prison if convicted.
The preliminary hearing for James Che Ming Lu, 85, was scheduled for Dec. 9 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, court officials said.
Prosecutors allege Lu used a hatchet to kill his wife, 55-year-old Michelle Lu, on the morning of July 28 at their home in the 100 block of Rosemead Boulevard in an unincorporated county area near Pasadena.
He then called sheriff's deputies to inform them of the crime, Detective Marcelo Quintero of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Homicide Bureau said.
Following the attack, "Mr. Lu called the authorities... and told them essentially that he had injured his wife," Quintero said.
When deputies arrived, they found Michelle Lu suffering from multiple stab wounds apparently inflicted by a hatchet, officials said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
A hatchet believed to be the murder weapon was recovered.
James Lu is also charged with the attempted murder of his wife's son, 32-year-old Ji Ma Zeng, who Quintero said managed to take the hatchet away from Lu after the alleged slaying.
"The son did deflect a blow from the ax and was able to disarm (James Lu)," the detective said.
Zeng fled to a neighbor's house, Quintero said, as James Lu called the sheriff's Temple Station to report the incident.
A judge issued a restraining order in late July, ordering James Lu to stay 500 feet away from Zeng.
Outside of domestic violence, a specific motive in the suspected killing has not been established, Quintero said.
"We know they were arguing," he said. "There was allegedly some fighting."
According to sheriff's booking records, James Lu was being held in lieu of $2 million bail.
He faces life in prison if convicted.
CONTRIBUTORS
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| Frank Girardot, Metro Editor for the San Gabriel Valley Newspapers, brings you behind the yellow tape with takes on true crime, cold cases and more. This is also your forum to discuss crime, its impact on your neighborhood and how we cover it. Have any questions or tips? You can leave a comment here or e-mail Frank. |
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Brian Day is the crime reporter for the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper group. E-mail Brian. |
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