Testimony Begins In Farquhar Murder Trial

A Palm Springs man shot a romantic rival in the head without warning, a prosecutor told jurors today, but the defendant’s attorney claimed his client’s girlfriend was the shooter.

Dale Farquhar is charged in the Nov. 13 slaying of 57-year-old Larry Roger Fisk of Apple Valley at the Palm Springs Villas condominium complex at 680 Ashurst Court.

Supervising District Attorney Otis Sterling told jurors in his opening statement that Fisk met Farquhar’s girlfriend, Cara Williams-Covert, at a bar in Palm Springs, and went to her condo on the day of the shooting.

Farquhar, 48, shot Fisk without warning in the back of the neck inside the condo, Sterling alleged. The defendant and his girlfriend then dragged Fisk’s body in front of a vacant, nearby condo, the prosecutor said.

Farquhar tried to direct the blame away from his girlfriend, and gave several versions of the events, Sterling said.

“It will be very clear to you that these are excuses, attempts at mitigation from someone who shot someone in the back of the head,” he told the jury.

In his opening statement, Deputy Public Defender Richard Verlato said Farquhar had a reason to lie for his girlfriend because he had been in a relationship with her for several years.

The attorney said Williams-Covert had knowledge of details of the shooting, and she eventually directed detectives to the gun and a spent round.

Verlato also told the jury to pay attention to the statement the girlfriend gave to police when she blamed Farquhar for Fisk’s death.

“She accuses Dale of killing this man outside of the apartment — a bold-faced lie because he was killed inside the apartment,” Verlato said, noting that blood was found under the living room carpet.

Prosecutors dropped a felony aiding and abetting charge against Williams- Covert in March.