Man ordered to stand trial on murder charge

A man was ordered Friday to stand trial on murder and other charges in the June 3 death of his roommate, who died at a hospital within hours of being found with traumatic injuries at her Thousand Palms mobile home.

Juan Sanchez Inzunza, 30, was arrested eight days after 56-year-old Victoria Supola died at Eisenhower Medical Center. He represented himself at his preliminary hearing at the Larson Justice Center.

Sheriff’s Investigator Sean Freeman testified that a neighbor heard a scream, and a man walking his dog told the neighbor that “Victoria was in trouble.” The neighbor saw Supola — who often let people stay in her mobile home in the 77-700 block of Pacheta Square — lying half in and half out of the trailer, with marks on her neck, Freeman said.

The neighbor stayed with Supola until firefighters arrived; she was having trouble breathing and speaking, and complained of chest pain. The victim told firefighters and paramedics “that her roommate Juan did it,” Freeman testified.

The investigator said the doctor who did the autopsy told him the marks on Supola’s neck were superficial, and her death was caused by a ruptured artery.

“He told me it was likely from a forceful blow to the front of her body,” Freeman said.

Freeman said a neighbor told investigators that he went to Supola’s trailer on the day of her death to finish a maintenance project, and Inzunza told him Supola had suffered a stroke. The man told investigators he saw Supola lying face-down in her bedroom, and then Inzunza repeatedly struck him on the back of the head before he made it back to his trailer, Freeman said.

A deputy spotted Inzunza, who was wanted for questioning, in the area the next week, and the defendant tried to flee, the sheriff’s investigator said.

After he was arrested, Inzunza said in the patrol car that “when he was high he couldn’t remember what he had done or where he was at,” Freeman said. He said a blood sample showed Inzunza was under the influence of methamphetamine and marijuana at the time.

Inzunza cross-examined Freeman at the hearing, asking if Supola gave more than one suspect’s name to the paramedics, firefighters and neighbor who helped her.

“The only declaration she gave was `Juan did it,”’ Freeman responded.

Inzunza asked if there were additional suspects, and Freeman said there was initially one other. “She was able to provide an alibi for where she was,” he said.

Inzunza also asked Freeman when DNA samples from the victim, which were submitted for testing, would be returned. Freeman replied that it could take several weeks or more, but authorities asked for an expedited process.

“I think that will make or break the case,” Inzunza said.

An investigator has been appointed to help Inzunza with his case. At the end of today’s hearing, he said he wants a speedy trial.

“We’ll see if the jury believes this,” the defendant said after being held to answer to the murder charge, along with a felony count of assault by force likely to produce great bodily injury and a misdemeanor count of resisting a peace officer.

He is due back in court Aug. 29 and is being held in lieu of $1 million bail.