LAKE COUNTY — The man accused of stabbing a 10-year-old girl to death in the Hidden Valley Lake subdivision on the afternoon of March 21 will stand jury trial for murder, assault, mayhem and child abuse.
Lake County Superior Court Judge Arthur Mann ruled Wednesday that there was enough evidence to hold James Ronald Pagan, 32, to answer for the charges during a preliminary hearing. Pagan was arrested the day of the incident on charges of stabbing and killing Tessa Faith Walker, 10, and assaulting her sister Kristen Marie Walker, 14.
“The evidence we used was an autopsy which showed that there were 35 cuts and stab wounds,” Lake County Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff said.
Pagan allegedly attacked the girls near their home while they were walking together to a friend”s house inside the gated community, which is approximately six miles north of Middletown.
Hinchcliff said he could not discuss whether a motive was identified in the murder. Kristen Marie Walker suffered a single stab wound in her lower back, for which Pagan faces charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, according to Hinchcliff. He said special allegations of causing great bodily injury and of using a knife are attached to the charges.
Investigators John Gregore and Dave Perry, and lead investigator Dave Garzoli, of the Lake County Sheriff”s Department testified at the hearing, which was almost an hour and a half long.
“Average (for a preliminary hearing) is a day and a half to two days,” Hinchcliff said. Pagan pleaded not guilty in an April 11 court appearance. He is due back in court before Mann on Oct. 6 for arraignment on the information, which Hinchcliff said is a procedural step in felony cases. Pagan is in custody at the Lake County Jail. No bail amount is named, according to jail staff.
Lakeport attorney Ken Roush was appointed in March to defend Pagan. Roush did not return a phone call from the Record-Bee by press time Wednesday.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
