Preliminary hearing delayed for burglary suspects

Tim Willert

BURBANK -- Adam Walker, the 19-year-old Montrose resident arrested and

later released in connection with the slayings of two La Crescenta

teenagers, appeared in court Thursday along with six other men suspected

in a series of burglaries.

The preliminary hearings for Walker, Grant E. Meyer, 18, of Burbank,

Jason Rabine, 18, of Glendale, Keith W. Shill, 18, of Glendale, Gregory

Furnish, 18, of Montrose, Nathan Casey, 18 of La Crescenta and a La

Canada Flintridge male whose age was unavailable, was continued until

Aug. 31.

Only the La Canada Flintridge resident, whose attorney refused

comment, was free on bail. The others remained in Burbank jail on $60,000

bail each.

Meyer, Rabine and Shill were arrested July 27 on suspicion of

burglary, attempted burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary. Walker,

Furnish and Casey were arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary and

conspiracy to commit burglary.

Walker, dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit, mouthed the words “I love

you,” to his parents as he left the courtroom.

Steve and Laura Walker declined comment on their son. Adam Walker was

arrested by Glendale Police on July 25 in connection with the beating

deaths of Christopher McCulloch and Blaine Talmo Jr., but was released

the following day when the L.A. County district attorney’s office

declined to file charges against him, citing insufficient evidence.

Glendale Police said at the time of Walker’s release that they would

continue to investigate him in connection with the killings. Police

spokesman Chahe Keuroghelian would not comment Thursday on whether Walker

remains under investigation.

Shortly after his release, Walker was arrested by Burbank Police and

charged with attempted burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary,

according to court records.

But the attorney for Michael Demirdjian, the La Crescenta teenager

accused in the killings, said Tuesday that Walker was also at Valley View

Elementary on July 22, the night Christopher and Blaine were beaten to

death on a playground.

Mathews said his client is willing to testify against the man who

choked and beat the boys to death.

Steven C. Flanagan, Adam Walker’s attorney, declined to comment

outside the courthouse on Thursday.

Meanwhile, William L. Jacobson, the attorney representing Rabine, said

the continuation will give attorneys time to look at audio and video

tapes and additional paperwork.

“There’s still a bunch of discovery to come,” Jacobson said. “We

haven’t had a chance to review any of it.”

Judge Alan S. Kalkin requested the continuation because of a

conflicting courtroom assignment.