A judge presided over three separate homicide cases at the San
Benito County Courthouse on Thursday, while one of the defendants
is scheduled for a trial to start Jan. 10, according to court
records.
A judge presided over three separate homicide cases at the San Benito County Courthouse on Thursday, while one of the defendants is scheduled for a trial to start Jan. 10, according to court records.
Samuel E. Turner, accused of killing 31-year-old Elizabeth Esther Gomez in 2007, is scheduled for a trial confirmation Dec. 30 and a jury trial starting at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 10 in courtroom 201. Turner, age 25 at the time and a San Jose resident, is suspected of first-degree murder in connection with the strangulation and stabbing of Gomez in March 2007. Police responding to a call from the residence found Turner inside along with the body.
Turner, represented by public defender Harry Damkar, was among the three homicide suspects whose cases were heard at the courthouse Thursday.
The other two were Cheryl L. Busch, the 41-year-old county resident accused of shooting and killing her 19-month-old daughter in November 2008 at the family’s Shore Road home, and Travis J. Hoffmeister, accused of killing Christella Macias in June 2007 and leaving her body on C Street with a bag over her head.
As far as Busch’s case goes, a judge in January ruled she was incompetent to stand trial, and authorities placed her at a state mental hospital until she can get to a point where she is fit to understand the proceedings. On Thursday, Judge Steven Sanders continued her scheduled review hearing to Jan. 6 at 9 a.m. in courtroom 101. She is represented by public defender Greg LaForge.
Hoffmeister, 25, of Hollister, also had his trial setting continued Thursday – to 9 a.m. Dec. 30 in courtroom 101 before Sanders. Hoffmeister is represented by Damkar.
Busch and Hoffmeister have pleaded not guilty. Turner has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
