A Newhall man charged with two counts of murder in a shooting on DeWolfe Road after a Halloween party last year is likely to have a preliminary hearing early next year, based on a case calendar approved Monday.
The L.A. County District Attorney’s Office has charged Alejandro “Joker” Trujillo, 19, of Newhall, with two counts of murder, as well as special allegations that he committed multiple murders, that he used a firearm, and that he had a previous serious violent felony conviction, according to his criminal complaint.
“There is a lot of discovery and a lot of negotiations,” said George Rosenstock, defense attorney for Trujillo, according to the transcripts from Monday’s hearing.
Judge Rand Rubin asked Trujillo to verbally waive his right to a speedy trial to accommodate a further continuance, which he did.
Attorneys accepted the delay due to discovery, or the sharing of evidence between both parties. At a preliminary hearing, the prosecution presents its evidence and the other side can present an affirmative defense. A judge then decides whether there’s enough evidence to merit a trial.
The murders of Elijah Harts and Anthony Mora are being charged as a special-circumstances case, which means Trujillo could face life without the possibility of parole, if he’s convicted.
Homicide Bureau detectives received an arrest warrant for Trujillo on Jan. 22, according to court records.
Harts and Mora were both shot around 11 p.m. Oct. 31, following an altercation at a party in the backyard of the home at 25031 De Wolfe Road.
A female attendee who had been kicked out of the party left and contacted a family friend, who then contacted the attendee’s family, according to court records. The family arrived and contacted some of the other partygoers about the person who was kicked out.
A large crowd moved from the backyard to the street, and a brawl broke out, according to witnesses, who then said a person started shooting, which sent everyone scrambling from the front of the home.
Homicide detectives asked local school resource deputies about Trujillo, and he was identified as a 2024 Hart High graduate and known gang member, according to a detective’s search-warrant request.
Phone records later placed Trujillo at the scene of the murder up until about three minutes after the murder happened, at which point his phone switched off, and never turned on again, according to the arrest warrant for Trujillo.
Homicide investigators eventually arrested Trujillo on Feb. 2. He’s been in custody at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic since Sept. 2.
Rubin set the next hearing date for the preliminary hearing setting as Nov. 19, as another date expected to be used for scheduling purposes.
