San Diego

The mother-in-law of Charles Russ testified tearfully Friday that he bilked her out of her life’s savings.

Russ, 39, is charged with killing his wife, Pamela, 33, whose battered body was found Feb. 1, 1987, on North Torrey Pines Road after apparently having been run over with her own car, which was found nearby.

Russ is also accused of grand theft in the loss of about $80,000 belonging to his mother-in-law, Ginger Allen, who testified in the first day of Russ’ preliminary hearing.

Allen, 68, explained to Deputy Dist. Atty. Mark Pettine that she trusted Russ, whom she referred to as Chuck.

“At that time, I thought Chuck was a financial wizard,” Allen said.

She said she mortgaged her home and that Russ promised he would invest her money with an investment firm.

“When he brought me documents, I signed them. I trusted him. I thought it was the best investment for me,” Allen said.

Pettine showed Allen numerous escrow documents, and Allen testified that some signatures bearing her name were forgeries.

Russ became a fugitive in mid-1987 and was arrested early one morning last August while walking on a Florida beach.

At the time, he had been charged only with grand theft and was considered an uncharged suspect in his wife’s death. After his arrest and extradition here, he was charged with murder.

The hearing continues Monday and is expected to last several more days. Russ is being held in County Jail in lieu of $3 million bail.