Woman Arraigned in Son-in-Law’s Slaying

A 73-year-old woman pleaded not guilty Thursday to murdering her estranged son-in-law after allegedly luring the man to the Northridge home she shared with her daughter by asking him to pick up his children for Halloween.

Jo Lulu Haynes faces a Jan. 7 preliminary hearing on charges of killing 43-year-old Kenneth Lisi in a case that could lead to the death penalty. A brief arraignment for Haynes was held in Van Nuys Municipal Court.

Outside the courtroom, the victim’s mother, Faye Lisi, said she witnessed the killing and recounted that Haynes pumped one shot into her son’s chest and then stood over his fallen body and fired several more shots.

At the time of his death Kenneth Lisi was involved in a bitter with his estranged wife, Pamela, over custody of the couple’s two daughters. In August, he was granted sole custody of the children.

Prosecutors have charged Haynes with the special circumstance allegation of lying in wait because she allegedly phoned the victim and asked him to pick up his children, knowing they were not at his wife’s Northridge home at the time.

If convicted of this allegation, Haynes would face either the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Haynes is being held in county jail without bail.