POWAY : Guilty Plea Stops Murder Trial
A Poway man charged with strangling his 17-year-old girlfriend pleaded guilty Wednesday to first-degree murder just before attorneys were to give their closing arguments in his trial.
The guilty plea by Juan Martinez Ortiz, 25, surprised both Deputy Dist. Atty. Elizabeth Porterfield and the jury, which was then dismissed by San Diego County Superior Court Judge John Thompson.
Ortiz could be sentenced to maximum of 25 years to life in state prison and a $20,000 fine in the Aug. 28 death of Christy Thomah of Rancho Bernardo.
Thompson set sentencing for April 22. Ortiz remains in County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail.
According to testimony, Ortiz confessed to sheriff’s detectives to killing his girlfriend in his apartment in the 14000 block of Powers Road in Poway after a party.
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