MAN TO FACE TRIAL FOR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES MURDER OF MAN WHO WAS DRAGGED AND RUN OVER BY TRUCK AS HE WAS ROBBED

Case # 15NF1703

Date: October 3, 2017

MAN TO FACE TRIAL FOR SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES MURDER OF MAN WHO WAS DRAGGED AND RUN OVER BY TRUCK AS HE WAS ROBBED

*Female co-defendant convicted of voluntary manslaughter

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man is scheduled to face trial tomorrow for the special circumstances murder of a man who was dragged and run over by his truck as he was robbed in Anaheim.

Defendant Charges Maximum Sentence Court Date
Jasper Bear Belknap, 21, Anaheim

 

 

Charged on June 23, 2015, with:

  • One felony count of murder

Sentencing Enhancement

  • Special Circumstances – Murder during the commission of a robbery
Life in state prison without the possibility of parole Jury trial opening statements

Oct. 4, 2017, 9:00 a.m.

Department C-41, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana

Diana Carolina Lopez, 29, Transient Pleaded guilty on Oct. 2, 2017, to:

  • One felony count of voluntary manslaughter
11 years in state prison Sentencing

Nov. 3, 2017, 9:00 a.m.

Department C-41, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana

Circumstances of the Case

  • Co-defendant Lopez knew the victim, 45-year-old Felipe Lugo, and knew that he often carried large quantities of cash.
  • On June 16, 2015, Lopez asked the victim to use his truck and drove to pick up Belknap, who is accused of hiding in the rear seat of the truck cab.
  • Lopez returned to Anaheim and picked up Lugo, who sat in the passenger seat.
  • As Lopez drove, Belknap is accused of entering the front seat and attacking the victim in an attempt to rob him.
  • Lugo fell halfway out of the truck from the passenger side door.
  • The victim was dragged by for approximately 300 feet before falling from the vehicle and being run over by the truck.
  • The Anaheim Police Department (APD) responded to the scene and the victim was pronounced dead as a result of blunt force trauma injuries.
  • APD investigated this case and located and arrested the defendants on June 19, 2015.

Prosecutor: Senior Deputy District Attorney Mark Birney, Homicide Unit