LOS ANGELES, CA — A homeless man who allegedly beat and set an 84- year-old man on fire in downtown Los Angeles pleaded not guilty Thursday to a murder charge.
Lavonta Martel Wilder, 40, is charged in connection with the killing of Bang Cho, who was attacked around 11:55 p.m. April 19, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
He is also facing an allegation that he has a prior serious felony conviction.
"This case involves an elderly man who was disoriented and living with dementia, conditions that made him particularly vulnerable," District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement last month announcing the case. "Our thoughts are with the victim's family as they endure this unimaginable tragedy.
"The level of violence alleged here is brutal, callous and extreme, and our prosecutors will pursue this case with the urgency it demands to ensure accountability and justice for the victim and his loved ones."
Cho was sitting on Sixth Street between Hope Street and Grand Avenue when he stood up and briefly approached a passerby then walked behind Wilder and grabbed one of the bags Wilder was carrying, according to the District Attorney's Office.
Wilder allegedly punched and kicked Cho in the head and body, lifting him over his shoulder and slamming him to the ground before setting him on fire, according to the District Attorney's Office.
Cho died the following day at a hospital.
Wilder was arrested early April 20 and has remained behind bars in lieu of $2.05 million bail since then.
He is due back in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom May 28. A date is scheduled to be set then for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to allow the case against him to proceed to trial.
He could face a maximum of life in prison if convicted as charged, according to the District Attorney's Office.
City News Service
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