Closing arguments begin in stabbing-death trial

Closing arguments began Monday in the murder trial of a man suspected of stabbing a Burbank resident to death.

The arguments marked the culmination of a four-week trial against Jorge Villalobos, 47, who is accused in the stabbing death of Glen Giles, then 47, nearly six years ago.

Giles was found dead on Feb. 26, 2008, on the front porch of his neighbor’s home. Giles, who suffered 32 stab wounds, left a trail of blood from his bedroom, across the street, up his neighbor’s driveway and on the doorbell.

Prosecutors argued that Villalobos was driven by bitterness over a love triangle that included a woman named Christina Ingram.

A major point of disagreement between the prosecution and the defense was Giles’ time of death.

Prosecutors argued Giles died at around 12:30 a.m. on Feb. 26, but Villalobos’ defense attorney James Blatt argued that Giles died later that morning, between 6 and 8 a.m. , when Villalobos was reportedly at his San Gabriel home.

Blatt argued that since Giles would have died from his injuries in one or two minutes, Villalobos couldn’t have killed him if his time of death was between 6 and 8 a.m.

Prosecutors, however, argued that Villalobos had been “tracking” Giles during the weeks before his death, having called him 18 times in February from a blocked number. Prosecutors said the last phone call from Villalobos to Giles was placed at 10:34 p.m. on Feb. 25, and that Villalobos stabbed him to death shortly after.

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article stated Villalobos is 41-years-old. This is incorrect. He is 47-years-old.

-- Alene Tchekmedyian, alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Follow on Google+ and on Twitter: @atchek

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