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Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009
Jury selection for murder trial to begin Jan. 12
Man accused in 2007 shooting death of ex-girlfriend.
Jury selection in the case of a 31-year-old man accused in the December 2007 shooting death of his ex-girlfriend has been slated to begin Jan. 12.
Defendant Jose Blas Zavala will stand trial for allegedly killing Jennifer Marie Hernandez-Moreno, 27, at her 3104 Denver Ave. apartment.
Although the trial has been delayed several times, Chief Deputy District Attorney Mark Bacciarini said he's confident the case will now move forward.
Merced Sun-Star - Jose Blas Zavala
Merced police believe Zavala murdered Hernandez-Moreno because she had begun a relationship with another man.
Zavala has entered a dual plea to the homicide charges -- not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity. If Zavala is found guilty, a second phase of the jury trial will take place to determine whether he was sane.
The defendant and the victim had a son, who is now 4 years old.
According to police, on the day of the shooting Zavala was found by Merced County sheriff's deputies on a canal bank in Stevinson, pointing a gun to his head. After Zavala put the gun down, he allegedly told deputies that he'd shot his girlfriend.
He also provided the victim's Merced address to sheriff's deputies, according to investigators.
Hernandez-Moreno was shot once in the back of her head and once through her torso, according to her autopsy report.
Zavala is charged with first-degree murder, an enhancement for use of a firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm and violation of a domestic relations court order.
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. He remains at the Merced County Jail in lieu of $1.3 million bail.
Reporter Victor A. Patton can be reached at (209) 385-2431 or vpatton@mercedsun-star.com.
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