San Diego
A North Park man accused of stabbing to death a woman whose body was found off California 94 near Jamul was ordered Thursday to stand trial in Superior Court on murder charges.
Billy Winston Elias, 36, was ordered to stand trial after a one-day preliminary hearing. Municipal Court Judge Nicholas Kasimatis ordered that Elias remain in custody in lieu of $1 million bail.
Elias is accused in the June 25 murder of Charlotte Oakley, 29, who had a prior arrest on prostitution charges. An autopsy revealed she had been stabbed 35 times.
Police went to the scene of the killing after motorists reported seeing a man and a woman arguing along the side of the highway. Oakley’s body was found in a dry creek bed, and Elias was arrested a short time later.
According to Deputy Dist. Atty. Evan Miller, Elias had blood on his hands, shirt and pants when he was arrested.
At the hearing, Sheriff’s Detective Robert Ryan Sams III testified that he interviewed Elias after the arrest. Sams said that, after Elias refused to talk, “he said he needed to speak to someone in confidence, ‘Like my wife or attorney. I’m responsible, (but) it wasn’t murder.’ ”
Other investigators testified that a knife, with what appeared to be dried blood, was recovered from Elias’ vehicle and that Oakley’s fingerprint was found inside the car.
Elias will be arraigned Aug. 24 in Superior Court.
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