MOORPARK : Murder Trial Jury Selection Near Done

Jury selection is expected to be completed this week in the lengthy trial of a Moorpark man accused of beating his wife to death and dumping her body along California 118.

Opening arguments in the murder trial of James Michael Linkenauger could be heard as soon as Wednesday, defense attorney Louis Samonsky Jr. said.

On Monday, a pool of 200 prospective jurors was whittled down to about 70 after a majority of the possible panelists said in a questionnaire that they could not afford to spend six to eight weeks serving on the case, Samonsky said.

Attorneys had earlier taken the unusual step of administering the questionnaire to potential jurors to more efficiently weed out those who would most likely be dismissed.

Linkenauger, 38, is accused of beating and strangling his 39-year-old wife, JoAnn, in a drunken rage moments after she returned from a weekend trip to Las Vegas Jan. 17.

Prosecutors allege the unemployed mechanic killed his wife at their Moorpark home, then wrapped her body in a bedspread, stuffed it into the trunk of her car and dumped it by the roadside near California 118 and Somis Road. JoAnn Linkenauger’s car was left at the scene, police said.

According to court documents, neighbors heard JoAnn Linkenauger screaming for help the night she died, and at least one person saw James Linkenauger drag his wife down the street by her hair.

Linkenauger was indicted by the Ventura County grand jury on a murder charge in February after pleading not guilty in Municipal Court. The indictment, however, spared Deputy Dist. Atty. Matthew J. Hardy the expense of a preliminary hearing.

The trial, to be presided over by Judge Charles W. Campbell Jr., is scheduled to last at least six weeks.