LAKEPORT — A judge Friday ruled that the prosecution established the strong suspicion standard during a four-day preliminary hearing, declaring that Robert Alan Beasley will stand trial for his alleged role in the death of two Maine residents in early 2010.
Judge Richard Martin presided. Attorney Stephen Carter represented Beasley and Deputy District Attorney Art Grothe represented the Lake County District Attorney”s Office.
Beasley, 30, is charged with two felony counts of murder and one felony count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the deaths of Frank Maddox, 32, and Yvette Maddox, 40.
The partially decomposed bodies of the married Maine couple were found in March at the bottom of an embankment off of Morgan Valley Road in Lower Lake, and subsequent autopsies determined both Maddoxes died as a result of gunshot wounds to the head, according to earlier testimony by Lake County Sheriff”s Office investigators.
Martin ruled Beasley would stand trial for both murder counts. The judge determined that Beasley”s prior Maine conviction constituted a felony under California law and thus ruled that Beasley would also be held to answer for the firearm charge.
Prior to making his ruling on the suspicion standard, Martin announced the portions of five witnesses” testimony that were to be stricken. The judge said Thursday he would review rough drafts of hearing transcripts after ruling that some of the witnesses” testimony constituted hearsay.
Two Lake County residents and three Maine residents testified about statements allegedly made to them by the Maddoxes, including alleged threats by Beasley.
The court excluded all statements attributed to the Maddoxes. Observations made by the five witnesses can be considered as evidence, Martin said.
Beasley is next scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 8 at 8:15 a.m. in Department 4 for arraignment of the information of the charges against him. Beasley pleaded not guilty to all charges earlier this month.
Beasley”s co-defendant, 28-year-old Elijah Bae McKay, who faces two murder charges in connection with the Maddoxes deaths, entered no plea during a Jan. 4 court appearance. McKay is scheduled to appear in Department 4 at 8:15 a.m. on April 5 for entry of plea and trial setting.
Contact Jeremy Walsh at jwalsh@record-bee.com or call him at 263-5636, ext. 37.
