A judge has ruled there is enough evidence for the suspect in the 2014 killing of Raul De La Rosa to stand trial.
Christopher J. Larios, the 32-year-old Hollister man suspected in the killing of De La Rosa, had a preliminary examination Feb. 21 when Judge Steven Sanders held him to answer for the charges.
A preliminary examination is when both sides present evidence and a judge deems whether the case should go forward. That came weeks after a judge ruled Larios is mentally competent enough to face the proceedings.
Larios was arrested by authorities after he walked into the Hollister police station and turned himself in for the Dec. 23, 2014 killing of De La Rosa in the 2000 block of Scenic Drive.
The San Benito County District Attorney’s Office charged him with murder and an enhancement for using a gun in a crime. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.
Larios, meanwhile, is familiar with being in custody from numerous prior convictions.
According to San Benito County court records, his local record dates back to 2005 when he was convicted of a misdemeanor drug offense. He also has local convictions that include carrying a dirk or dagger and exhibiting a deadly weapon in 2011, having a leaded cane in 2013, possession of a controlled substance in 2014, battery on a peace officer in 2014, vandalism in 2015, carrying a dirk or dagger in 2016, assault with great bodily injury in 2016, and inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant in 2017.
Larios was last released from the San Benito County Jail on April 18 before he turned himself in again three days later, according to jail personnel. His bail has now been set at $1.05 million.
Larios has been in and out of jail or prison for all of those prior cases, with records showing he spent 364 days in jail most recently for the corporal injury conviction.
For the 2014 murder case, Larios was represented by attorney Greg LaForge. But Harry Damkar relieved LaForge and will serve as Larios’ attorney.
