Man acquitted of murder last year is charged with murdering Costa Mesa man

A 21-year-old Azusa man who was acquitted of murder last year in an Anaheim case is facing a new murder charge in the stabbing death of a Costa Mesa man.

The Orange County district attorney’s office Tuesday charged Jasper Bear Belknap, who is suspected of stabbing Austin Donal Robinson, 23, in the chest with a pocket knife Feb. 12, authorities said.

Belknap also faces a possible sentencing enhancement on allegations of personal use of a knife. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of 26 years to life in state prison.

He is expected to be arraigned March 16.

Belknap, who is unemployed, was arrested in the Robinson case on Friday in Garden Grove. He was booked into Orange County Jail in Santa Ana with bail set at $1 million, according to jail records.

A Costa Mesa police declaration attached to an arrest warrant for Belknap, obtained by the Daily Pilot on Wednesday, gives an account of events leading to the fatal stabbing.

Officers responded to the 2900 block of Grace Lane, a small dead-end street lined with businesses just off Baker Street in Costa Mesa, after Robinson called 911 at 2:41 a.m. to report that he had been stabbed.

When officers arrived, Robinson was lying on the sidewalk, bleeding from a stab wound to his chest. He was taken to Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana, where he was pronounced dead, according to police.

Det. David Sevilla wrote in the declaration that authorities obtained a search warrant for Robinson’s two cellphones, on which they found evidence that he was involved in selling drugs, mainly Xanax.

Sevilla wrote that Robinson had been in contact with people Feb. 11 and early Feb. 12 through text messages and social media about the prices and quantities of drugs he was selling.

Detectives also reviewed video footage from Manneh’s Drive Thru Dairy at 1085 Baker St. and other businesses in the area that showed some of what happened Feb. 12 before authorities arrived, according to the declaration.

Witnesses told detectives that Belknap, who goes by the name Bear, and other men were sitting on the patio of Hank’s Mexican Food at 1087 Baker drinking beer after the restaurant had closed for the night, Sevilla wrote.

Robinson approached, apparently with an offer to sell them drugs, Sevilla wrote. Belknap and two others walked to the back of the restaurant with Robinson.

According to the declaration, Robinson went home and then returned a short time later and accused the group of stealing drugs from him.

“Bear appeared angry, as if he wanted to fight Robinson when Robinson began accusing all of them of stealing drugs,” the declaration states. “Robinson walked southbound on Grace Lane and Bear followed him.”

About 10 minutes later, Belknap returned to the restaurant without Robinson and appeared “out of breath,” Sevilla wrote. He told the others they should leave and then ran, according to the declaration.

Less than 24 hours before the stabbing, the declaration states, a Newport Beach police officer spoke with Belknap at the restrooms near the Balboa Pier.

When the officer approached, Belknap quickly swallowed what he told the officer was methamphetamine, according to the declaration. The officer found a red and black Husky knife on Belknap, the declaration states.

Belknap’s attorney, Michelle Avila, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

In November, an Orange County Superior Court jury acquitted Belknap of a special-circumstance murder charge stemming from the death of a man who was dragged by a truck in Anaheim. Prosecutors alleged the man died during a robbery, according to an Orange County Register report.

In an unrelated case, Belknap is facing misdemeanor counts of vandalism, disturbing the peace and possession of a controlled substance, court records show.

In another case, he is facing two felony counts of burglary, a felony count of fraudulently acquiring the personal information of 10 or more people, a felony count of car theft and two misdemeanor counts of fraudulently obtaining personal identification by mail theft, according to court records.

In both cases, he pleaded not guilty to all charges and had been free on $60,000 bond, court records show.

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN