New hearing set in death of 20-month-old
Former Marine charged with second-degree murder in case
A Yuma County Superior Court judge issued an order to show cause on Tuesday in the case of a former Marine charged in the death of his 20-monthold stepdaughter, and scheduled a date for it to be heard.
Attorney Zachery Dumyhan, of the Yuma County Public Defender’s Office, who represents Jared Cardwell, asked for the hearing prior to explaining the status of the case against his client to the court.
Dumyhan informed the court that two witnesses previously ordered to appear at the Yuma County Public Defender’s Office for an interview never showed up, and he wanted to know why.
Superior Court Judge Stephen Rouff granted Dumyhan’s request for the hearing and scheduled it for 3 p.m. on June 13, at which time the witnesses will be required to explain why they did not appear as ordered and possibly held in contempt of court.
Rouff also ordered that Dumyhan issue the subpoenas summoning them to court on the day of the order to show cause hearing.
Cardwell, who has was a Lance Corporal at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma be- fore being administratively separated from the U.S. Marine Corps, has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of 20-month-old Celine Matus.
Matus was found unresponsive on base at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma on May 19, 2015, and Cardwell was arrested three days later. The toddler died of blunt force trauma to the head.
Cardwell was initially brought up on charges under the articles of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, but was eventually turned over to the Yuma County Attorney’s Office, which is now prosecuting the case.