In the past year, the City of Davis has seen a few significant cases of high-profile crime. These include the Daniel Marsh double homicide case, the more recent allegations against Alquelin Talamantes for the murder of her five-year-old daughter and the James Mings murder case — all due back to court in the upcoming weeks.
Daniel Marsh trial, Nov. 1 hearing
Davis resident, Daniel Marsh, 16, was charged by the Yolo Superior Court in his preliminary hearing on July 14 with two counts of first-degree murder. His charges were enhanced due to the use of a deadly weapon, special circumstance for multiple murders and heinous and depraved murder.
Marsh was found guilty of murdering elderly Davis residents Oliver Northup, 87, and his wife Claudia Maupin, 76, on April 13, 2013. He was 15 at the time of the crime.
Marsh will be appearing in court Nov. 1 for a ruling on 995 — a defense motion to set aside preliminary ruling.
A 995 essentially means that the defendant doesn’t agree with the charges the judge has ruled. A new judge will review the transcript from the preliminary hearing and decide whether he denies or agrees with the initial motion made by the first judge. Marsh’s attorney filed the motion to review the special circumstances on the charges.
According to a Davis Police Department (DPD) press release, the murders were committed at the home of Northup and Maupin on 4000 block of Cowell Boulevard. During the course of the initial investigation, they found evidence of forced entry through a screen window.
Chief Deputy District Attorney, Jonathan Raven, explained the general procedure for these cases.
“In this case, it took a number of months to find the suspect [because] they didn’t have the leads immediately. The case broke when witnesses came forth,” Raven said. “We filed a complaint and he was arraigned — told his charges.”
Then Marsh was appointed a public defender for the preliminary hearing — a smaller trial before a judge where the prosecution meets a lower burden than for trial.
“In all likelihood the judge will say, ‘no I don’t believe the first judge made any errors,’ and they affirm his decision. I can’t say what’s going to happen,” Raven said.
Aquelin Talamantes Preliminary Hearing
Davis resident, Aquelin Crystal Talamantes, 29, has a preliminary hearing set for Nov. 14 at the Yolo County Superior Court for the murder of her five-year-old daughter, Tatianna Garcia.
Talamantes pleaded not guilty to charges to one count of first degree murder at her arraignment on Sept. 30. She is also charged with a count of assault on a child under the age of eight-years-old to produce great bodily injury resulting in death.
Alleged crimes took place Sept. 25 when Talamantes drove with her unresponsive daughter in the trunk from her home on Glide Drive to that of a relative. Garcia was proclaimed dead later at the local hospital.
“As of now, there’s not much new information regarding the Talamantes case,” said DPD Lieutenant Paul Doroshov. “Based on her preliminary hearing, I am sure facts will be uncovered.”
James Erlon Mings, assisted murder
James Mings is to be sentenced Nov. 7 at Yolo County Superior Court for a seven-year state prison sentence, waiving one year of custody credits for time served in the Yolo County Jail for the case duration. He is charged on counts of murdering an ailing Davis man.
“Students should realize that serious crimes can happen anywhere. [They] really need to be mindful of that and aware of [their] surroundings and always limiting [their] risks at a university,” Raven said. “It’s important, particularly if you make choices that reduce the risk and put you out of danger … It’s important to stay informed.”
— Gabriella Hamlett
