Arraignment for defendant in killing of Patricia Alatorre postponed
A Kern County judge on Thursday postponed the arraignment of Armando Cruz, indicted in the rape and murder of 13-year-old Patricia Alatorre, until Nov. 4.
Cruz, wearing an orange jail jumpsuit, stood out from the other 10 inmates all dressed in gray and brown waiting to be arraigned.
A trial date was to be determined by Judge Michael G. Bush on Thursday; however, the defense attorney asked for a 30-day postponement because the family was unsure how to proceed.
The prosecution said that time was too long and requested a week until the arraignment. Bush gave both sides 15 business days to meet again and determine a trial date.
Alatorre was reported as a runaway on July 2, 2020. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department found the body of an unidentified female wrapped in a sleeping bag the next day, which matches the details Cruz explained to the Bakersfield Police Department regarding how he disposed of a girl’s body, according to BPD reports filed in Kern County Superior Court.
A student was arrested Thursday at Fairfax Middle School after deputies received reports of a student possibly carrying a firearm, which prompted the lockdown of Fairfax and other area schools, according to a Kern County Sheriff’s Office news release.
Deputies were dispatched at 8:30 a.m. to Fairfax for reports of a student with a firearm, according to KCSO’s news release.
At 9:56 a.m. the student was found by deputies, who determined the firearm was a replica. All lockdowns were lifted, KCSO said.
The student was arrested on suspicion of attempted robbery and criminal threats.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the KCSO at 661-8613110 or 661-322-4040.
A Bakersfield man was charged Thursday by a federal grand jury with being a felon in possession of ammunition, acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert’s office announced in a news release.
Law enforcement officers stopped a vehicle with Raylon Thijay Randle, 24, as a passenger and discovered he had a nine millimeter handgun loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition, according to Talbert’s office. Randle cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition because he was convicted in 2016 of first-degree burglary and in 2018 of being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to Talbert’s office.
If convicted, Randle faces 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, the office stated in a news release.
Public inmate visitation will resume at the Central Receiving Facility, Lerdo Pretrial Facility and Lerdo Justice Facility today.
Only appointments can secure visits, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. All people will be required to wear a mask while inside the jail visiting, the KCSO stated.