Trial date set in fatal shooting at motel
A new April 5 starting date has been set in the murder trial for Izak Lucero, the man charged in connection to a fatal shooting at the Econo Lodge Motel nearly two years ago.
Lucero, who is represented by attorney Wm. Michael Smith, has been charged with first-degree murder, misconduct involving weapons, aggravated assault, possession of a narcotic drug for sale, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a dangerous drug.
He is accused of killing 21-yearold Luis Delgadillo, who was shot multiple times.
Lucero remains in custody at the
Yuma County
Adult Detention
Facility on a
$500,000 cash-only bond.
The case against Lucero had originally been set for a three-week long jury trial next month, but it had to be vacated due to an administrative order that suspended all jury trials until Feb. 11 in order to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
The new trial date was set Thursday in Yuma County Superior
Court following a Donald hearing in which Lucero turned down a plea offer that stipulated he be sentenced to 25 years in prison for second-degree murder.
Lucero now faces life in prison if convicted on the first-degree murder charge against him.
“You would serve the rest of your life. You would never get out of prison,” Nelson explained in asking Lucero if he wanted to proceed to trial.
Smith also informed the court that he had filed a motion to have several charges against his client that stemmed from an incident prior to the fatal shooting be severed.
He added that severing the charges – which his client could be tried for at a later date – may shorten the length of the upcoming trial.
After hearing from both counsel, Nelson scheduled a final pretrial conference for 8:30 a.m. on March 10.
At approximately 10:48 p.m. Aug. 22, 2020, Yuma police officers responded to a report of shots fired at the Econo Lodge Motel at 2151 S. 4th Ave.
Upon arrival, officers located a man, now known to be Delgadillo, who had been shot multiple times. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A second man, who had been shot once, was transported to
Yuma Regional Medical Center with serious injuries.
Lucero was arrested the following week after Yuma police were involved in a vehicle pursuit with a car occupied by three individuals.
The vehicle eventually stopped in the 1400 block of South 41st Avenue and all three occupants fled from the area on foot. All three were apprehended with the assistance of Yuma Sector Border Patrol.