EL CAJON, Calif. (CNS) - A man who allegedly killed his mother at an El Cajon motel, then led police on a chase in the woman's car with her body in the trunk, was ordered Thursday to stand trial on charges that include murder.
Richard Anthony Leyva, 24, is accused of killing his 51-year-old mother, Jamison Webster, at the Motel 6 on Montrose Court in February.
Prosecutors allege Webster was strangled in Leyva's motel room shortly after she visited him on the night of Feb. 24. Police and prosecutors have not disclosed a motive for the alleged killing.
During a preliminary hearing held to determine whether Leyva would be held to answer on the charges, surveillance footage played in court showed Leyva and Webster arrive at the motel just before 4 p.m. on Feb. 24. Webster left the motel soon after in her Hyundai Sonata, but returned around 7 p.m.
After Webster entered the motel room, she was not seen outside the room until around 2 a.m., when Leyva is seen in the footage dragging her out of the room by her ankles.
Investigators later searched Leyva's cell phone and discovered pictures of Webster's body, which El Cajon police Det. John Duong testified were taken between 7:12 p.m. and 7:17 p.m.
A man who was working as a security guard for the motel that night testified that while patrolling the motel's parking lot, he saw Leyva around 2 a.m.
He said Leyva was holding a woman he identified as his mother and was trying to lean her against a car.
The man testified that he asked if Leyva needed help or if the woman had possibly been drinking or using drugs, but Levya said she'd only fainted and declined any assistance.
El Cajon police Det. Nicholas Cirello testified that Leyva's brother grew concerned after not hearing from his mother throughout Feb. 24 and 25. Cirello said that Webster had mentioned to Leyva's brother that she planned to drop food off at the motel for Leyva.
Motel surveillance footage from around 4:45 p.m. on Feb. 25 showed Leyva's brother and a friend of his arrive at the motel and speak with Leyva.
Leyva told the men that Webster had let him borrow the car and had taken an Uber to a friend's house, Cirello testified.
At one point, Leyva and his brother walk to the Hyundai Sonata parked outside the motel room and Levya's brother can be seen in the surveillance footage opening the driver's side door and activating the trunk release.
Leyva shuts the trunk closed with one hand, prompting his brother to repeatedly open the trunk, only for Leyva to continue closing the trunk.
Leyva's brother was eventually able to move Leyva aside and saw his mother in the trunk, at which point a physical fight between the brothers ensued over the next few minutes throughout the parking lot.
Leyva's brother told investigators that during this altercation, Leyva said, "Calm down. You don't need to call the cops," Cirello testified.
Eventually, Leyva was able to get into the driver's seat, then reversed the car while his brother was standing near the open driver's side door of the car, sending him to the ground.
Leyva then allegedly led police on a chase on East County surface streets and freeways.
El Cajon police Officer Melad Tilko, one of the officers who pursued Leyva, said the Sonata ran multiple red lights and drove onto the center median to circumvent rush hour traffic on the streets of El Cajon.
The pursuit went from El Cajon to Spring Valley and back, spanning state Route 94, state Route 125 and eastbound Interstate 8, Tilko said.
On Mollison Avenue, the Sonata driver attempted to drive between two vehicles stopped in the road and crashed into them, according to the officer. Leyva was arrested at the crash scene.
Leyva faces 28 years and eight months to life in prison if convicted of the murder count, as well as charges of assault with a deadly weapon and evading a peace officer. He remains in custody without bail
RELATED COVERAGE:
- Friends of slain El Cajon woman say she didn't want to 'give up' on son accused of her murder
- Family shares history of mental illness in El Cajon man arrested for mother's death
- Friends of slain El Cajon woman say she didn't want to 'give up' on son accused of her murder
- El Cajon Police find woman's body in trunk after pursuit; son taken into custody
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