Man accused of killing mother to have date set for prelim next month

A Saugus man accused of stabbing his mother to death appeared briefly in court Thursday, marking the fifth failed attempt to set a date for his preliminary hearing.

Jesse Lucatero, 24, appeared in San Fernando Superior Court to set a date for a preliminary hearing, but instead was told to return July 18, when that decision is expected to be made.

At a preliminary hearing, prosecutors will present evidence in the case, and the defense can respond, after which the judge will decide if the case should go to trial.

Lucatero faces one count of murder with the allegation he used a knife during the crime of killing his 56-year-old mother Maria Acevedo.

He was arrested on Oct. 3, 2016, four hours after the stabbing, initially as a person of interest and then as the man suspected of murdering his mother inside the family home on the 19500 block of Castille Lane, prosecutors said.

Acevedo’s body was discovered by the victim’s husband, who is the defendant’s father, prosecutors noted in a news release issued shortly after the arrest.

If convicted as charged, Lucatero faces a possible maximum sentence of 26 years to life in state prison. The requested bail is more than $2 million.

Deputy District Attorney Pam Revel is the assigned prosecutor.