Wilbur H. Cope, 36, entered not-guilty pleas to charges of murder and attempted murder during a Tuesday, Sept. 12, arraignment in Lake County Superior Court.
District Attorney-Elect Jon Hopkins reported that Cope is being charged with one count of murder with the use of a firearm for the shooting death of Kristin Lori Raviotta on early Sunday, Sept. 10. At 3:27 a.m. Sept. 10, the Clearlake Police Department arrived on scene in response to a reported shooting in the 3900 block of Manchester Avenue. Raviotta”s body was in Cope”s vehicle, where Cope had allegedly shot her to death.
Family friend Julie Young drove up from Pittsburg this past weekend to visit Cope in the Lake County jail. “Wilbur really wishes to express his gratitude for all the support he”s received,” Young related, adding that former firefighters were present in the courtroom during Cope”s arraignment and that friends of Cope”s had also expressed support.
Young also said she wanted everyone to know what a beautiful, wonderful person Raviotta had been. “I will never be the same and Clearlake will never be the same without her,” Young said.
Cope additionally faces three counts of attempted murder with the use of a firearm for the shooting of Clearlake residents Terry Cain, Michele Cain and Sharon England. One of the counts includes an allegation for resulting in great bodily injury.
Attorney Bruce Laning has been assigned to represent Cope; the case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney John Langon.
Judge Richard Martin set bail at $1.5 million at Hopkins”s request during the Sept. 12 arraignment.
The case was originally filed in Lake County Superior Court, Dept. 4, in Clearlake; Langon reported that on Friday, Sept. 15, the parties appeared before Judge Steve Hedstrom, who granted a motion by Laning that he be disqualified from presiding in the case. On Friday, Sept. 22, the case will be back before Judge Martin.
Langon added that Cope has waived his right to a speedy trial and that both the prosecuting and defense attorneys are likely to ask that a preliminary hearing be postponed to allow for compiling of lab reports that are due from the Department of Justice.
Lake County Record-Bee reporter Cynthia Davis and Clear Lake Observer*American Managing Editor Cynthia Parkhill contributed to this article.
