REWARD OFFERED FOR FACTS ABOUT '84 KILLINGS SUSPECT'S SPOUSE REFUSES TO TESTIFY.Byline: Charles F. Bostwick and Karen Maeshiro Staff Writers LANCASTER - The family of a Valyermo fruit rancher murdered in 1984 is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to a conviction of the man accused of killing him. Much of the evidence against suspect Josif Jurcoane, a former ranch ranch, large farm devoted chiefly to raising and breeding cattle, horses, sheep, and goats. The cattle ranch was introduced from Latin America to Texas and the plains of the W United States and Canada. employee arrested in April after 17 years in Mexico, came from his wife, who has won a court decision upholding her refusal to testify To provide evidence as a witness, subject to an oath or affirmation, in order to establish a particular fact or set of facts. Court rules require witnesses to testify about the facts they know that are relevant to the determination of the outcome of the case. against him. ``Now that Susan Jurcoane is not testifying, we are hoping there is someone else who could be helpful,'' said Nancy Roebuck, victim Lloyd Bryden's daughter. Bryden, a retired Lockheed test pilot who had owned the Valyermo ranch for 20 years, and his companion, 39-year-old Alice McCannel, were killed with a shotgun shotgun: see small arms. shotgun Smoothbore shoulder firearm designed to fire a number of pellets, or shot, that cover a large target area after they leave the muzzle. It is used mainly against small game such as birds. the evening of July 4, 1984, near a cherry sales stand. Prosecutors say Jurcoane's wife called the sheriff's office that evening and said that he rushed into their trailer near the ranch, told her he had shot Bryden and McCannel, gathered up clothes and his passport and drove off in a pickup Pickup A gain in yield made by selling one bond and buying another. Also referred to as "yield pickup." Notes: When the present yield is relatively low compared to the longer-term yields, pickups will be done by investors trying to increase the yield and duration of their truck. But since his arrest in April, Susan Jurcoane has invoked her right as a spouse not to testify against him. Prosecutors fought her, saying that after a 17-year separation in which Jurcoane lived with another woman in Mexico, the marriage was no longer valid. A state appellate court A court having jurisdiction to review decisions of a trial-level or other lower court. An unsuccessful party in a lawsuit must file an appeal with an appellate court in order to have the decision reviewed. disagreed. At Jurcoane's preliminary hearing last week, prosecutors tried to introduce testimony from sheriff's deputies about what Susan Jurcoane told them 17 years ago. The judge refused to allow it. Instead, prosecutors said that Alicia Alvarado was Jurcoane's live-in companion in Mexico, and they put her on the stand. She testified that Jurcoane told her seven or eight years ago he had fled the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. after killing a man who Jurcoane said threatened him and owed him money. Alvarado said Jurcoane never said anything about killing a woman. Alvarado said she did not believe that her live-in companion had actually killed anybody. Judge Carol Koppel said prosecutors presented sufficient evidence to require Jurcoane to stand trial, and he remains in custody on homicide homicide (hŏm`əsīd), in law, the taking of human life. Homicides that are neither justifiable nor excusable are considered crimes. A criminal homicide committed with malice is known as murder, otherwise it is called manslaughter. charges. Bryden's daughter said she hopes people with information about the killing may be more willing to come forward now that Jurcoane is behind bars. ``Now that he's in custody, people's comfort level is higher,'' said Roebuck, who with her husband owns a business that sells metal fabricating machinery. People with information on the killings should call homicide Sgt. Paul Mondry in the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department This article is about the Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department, not to be confused with the smaller Los Angeles County Police The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) is a local law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. at (323) 890-5500, she said. |
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