“He died quickly”

Brandon Michael Landreth, 30, a onetime English teacher at Muir High School in Pasadena, was ordered to stand trial this afternoon in Superior Court.

Landreth is accused in the April 2008 shooting death of Justo Ceaser Morales, 25.

Morales was shot to death at his parents home on a Sunday afternoon, and witnesses described the killer as fleeing the scene on a skateboard.

Landreth later confessed to his ex-wife that he had killed Morales, officials said. He is being held on $5 million bail. There are allegations, of threats and stalking that, if true, make Landreth seem like one creepy teacher. Here’s the story:

Prosecutors outlined the case against Landreth at a preliminary hearing Thursday. A friend of Landreth, Gerald Gracian, and Landreth’s ex-wife, Tania, both claimed he had confessed to shooting and killing Morales.

Tania Landreth testified that the defendant had met her on her front lawn in the days after Morales’ death and confessed to killing Morales.

“I asked, ‘Was he in pain?'” she recounted tearfully. “He told me, ‘He died quickly.'”
She also said that Landreth had made threats against Morales’ life close to 100 times over the course of two years.

Landreth’s attorney pointed out that police were unsuccessful in their attempts to tape Landreth’s confession by wiring Tania.

 

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