LAKEPORT – On Wednesday a judge ruled that a Lakeport man will stand trial for a November 2007 homicide.
Judge Arthur Mann ruled that Ivan Garcia Oliver, 30, will be held to answer for the stabbing death of Michael Dodele.
The 67-year-old Dodele, who had moved to the Western Hills Mobile Home Park in Lakeport just weeks before his death, had just been released from prison after serving 19 years for a rape conviction in Sonoma County.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff, who is prosecuting the case, alleges that Oliver killed Dodele after seeing him on the Megan's Law Web site, which tracks sexual offenders.
Oliver will face charges including murder, burglary, elder abuse, a special allegation of using a knife and another special allegation of committing a felony against someone because they were on the Megan's Law Web site, said Hinchcliff.
Judge Mann also ruled at the end of the two-and-a-half hour preliminary hearing that Oliver should stand trial for possessing a sharp instrument at the Lake County Jail, said Hinchcliff. About a month after his November 2007 arrest, Oliver was found in possession of a shank he had made from a plastic jail toothbrush.
Oliver's defense attorney, Jeremy Dzubay, stressed that it's important to understand that both sides don't present their evidence at a preliminary hearing, which is the prosecution's chance to prove they have enough evidence to go forward.
On Dec. 22 Oliver will return to court for arraignment, at which time Dzubay expects a trial date to be discussed.
Dzubay said he's anxious for the trial to take place because then he and his client will have the opportunity to present the whole truth of the case.
He estimated a trial will be at least a few months out from the Dec. 22 arraignment date.
“There's a great deal of scientific evidence that's going to have to be analyzed” – both by the defense and prosecution, Dzubay said.
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