CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) — A 41-year-old Chula Vista man pleaded not guilty Thursday to first-degree murder charges in the killing of his landlord's daughter.
Robert Watkins appeared in court Thursday afternoon, where both the victim's and suspect's families packed the courtroom. His court appearance had been delayed three times before Thursday for medical reasons.
Prosecutors say Watkins attacked Brenda Gillet with a hammer and then used a hatchet to dismember her body.
The deputy district attorney described the case as one of the worst she's ever seen.
"The underlying facts of this incident are some of the most heinous and deplorable I've seen in my career as a prosecutor," said Annie Sanchez, the deputy district attorney.
According to prosecutors, Gillet had shown up to the house after Watkins covered the cameras. When she arrived, Watkins was with another man in his room, leading to a confrontation about having people over — something he was not allowed to do.
After killing Gillet, prosecutors say Watkins disposed of her dismembered remains in two places: in a suitcase at a park in Chula Vista and in a bag thrown into the water near the USS Midway.
Gillet's family said some of the details they heard in court were new to them and were tough to listen to. Her sister, Wendy Bonifacio, spoke outside the courthouse.
"No body deserves to be treated this way so we want the most, extreme, whatever it has to be, for him to never get out again to hurt somebody else," Bonifacio said.
The family described Gillet as a giving person, a veteran, and someone who loved to dance.
"She was like a little firecracker, very happy, very outgoing person, very positive, she loved people, she did nursing, she was in the military," Bonifacio said.
The judge denied Watkins bail, saying she considers him a risk to the public. His next court date is in mid-July.
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