GUILTY CA - Omar Medina, 28, found deceased in barrel floating in Chula Vista Marina, Oct 2017

[Niner]

That strange case for Spurgeon came up on the court site for Central County. I really don't believe this pertains to the murder of Omar. But I will post it anyway.

Monday, Sept. 16, 2019

Dept. 1301: ROBERT F. O NEILL 1100 Union Street, San Diego
09:00AM SCD276248-01 TRIAL CALL CA vs SCHUTT, KENNY
09:00AM SCD276248-02 TRIAL CALL CA vs SPURGEON, DERRICK JEFFERSON

link: Criminal Calendar

 

[Niner]

@Suglo - I "see" that you are following this case - I'm going on a vacation (back to California!!!) for 2 weeks (starting 9/18 back on 10/2) - and this case I look up every week - so....

I was wondering if you could keep an eye out on this case.

Here's the link I use -
Criminal Calendar

at the top you will see "Central County" and "South County" (they seem to pop up on both these counties) - make sure you have the "Criminal" one clicked for "county division"

in advance!!

 

[Niner]

Oh - forgot to add - the case #s I look for are:
Spurgeon - #SC297178-02 & SC297724-01
Cook - #SC297724-01

last hearing for both I have 8/20/19.

 

[Suglo]

@Suglo - I "see" that you are following this case - I'm going on a vacation (back to California!!!) for 2 weeks (starting 9/18 back on 10/2) - and this case I look up every week - so....

I was wondering if you could keep an eye out on this case.

Here's the link I use -
Criminal Calendar

at the top you will see "Central County" and "South County" (they seem to pop up on both these counties) - make sure you have the "Criminal" one clicked for "county division"

in advance!!

Will do! Have a wonderful trip!

 

[Niner]

Will do! Have a wonderful trip!

Thanks - I plan on it!

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Dept. 1603: CAROLYN M. CAIETTI 1100 Union Street, San Diego
09:00AM SCS297178-02 STATUS CONFERENCE CA vs SPURGEON, DERRICK
09:00AM SCS297724-01 TRIAL - JURY CA vs COOK, TIMOTHY
09:00AM SCS297724-02 TRIAL - JURY CA vs SPURGEON, DERRICK

link: Criminal Calendar


Finally a trial!!

 

[Niner]

Tuesday, October 22nd:
*Trial set to begin for both (@ 9am PT) – CA – Omar Medina (38) (Sept. 30, 2017, Chula Vista Marina; found Oct. 2, 2017 in 55 gal. drum in San Diego Bay) – *Timothy John Cook (52) arrested (12/13/17) & charged (1/5/18) with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. No bond. Faces up to 87 years to life.
Trial set to begin on 10/22.
*Derrick Jefferson Spurgeon (38) arrested (12/13/17) & charged (1/5/18) with accessory after the fact to murder drove the boat) Plead not guilty. $500K bond. Trial set to begin on 10/22 (for Case #SC29718)
ALSO:
*Status Hearing (@ 9am PT) – only for *Derrick Jefferson Spurgeon (38) arrested (12/13/17) & charged (1/5/18) with accessory after the fact to murder drove the boat) Plead not guilty. $500K bond.
8/20/19 Update: Case #SC297724 Status hearing on 10/22. Jury trial for Case #SC29718 starts on 10/22.

 

[Niner]

Thursday, October 24th:
*Trial Continues (Day 3) for both (@ 9am PT) – CA – Omar Medina (38) (Sept. 30, 2017, Chula Vista Marina; found Oct. 2, 2017 in 55 gal. drum in San Diego Bay) – *Timothy John Cook (52) arrested (12/13/17) & charged (1/5/18) with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. No bond. Faces up to 87 years to life.
Trial set to begin on 10/22.
*Derrick Jefferson Spurgeon (38) arrested (12/13/17) & charged (1/5/18) with accessory after the fact to murder drove the boat) Plead not guilty. $500K bond. Trial set to begin on 10/22 (for Case #SC29718)
10/22/19 Day 1 & 10/23/19 Day 2: No information available. Trial continues (I guess!) on 10/24.

 

[Niner]

Not really sure "what" is going on with this case. They didn't show up for the 23rd, 24th or for today the 25th on the court site. I shall post this one more time - and then will wait to see if anyone has any information - a local maybe??

Friday, October 25th:
*Trial Continues (Day 4) for both (@ 9am PT) – CA – Omar Medina (38) (Sept. 30, 2017, Chula Vista Marina; found Oct. 2, 2017 in 55 gal. drum in San Diego Bay) – *Timothy John Cook (52) arrested (12/13/17) & charged (1/5/18) with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. No bond. Faces up to 87 years to life.
Trial set to begin on 10/22.
*Derrick Jefferson Spurgeon (38) arrested (12/13/17) & charged (1/5/18) with accessory after the fact to murder drove the boat) Plead not guilty. $500K bond. Trial set to begin on 10/22 (for Case #SC29718)
10/22/19 Day 1 & 10/23/19 Day 2: No information available. Trial continues (I guess!) on 10/24.
10/24/19 Day 3: No information available. Trial continues to 10/25.

 

[Niner]

Well just tried to google this trial, but coming up articles from July of 2018. And have this message:
Some results may have been removed under data protection law in Europe. Learn more


So any locals or California people here? Maybe your search will be better than mine!

 

[Suglo]

Well just tried to google this trial, but coming up articles from July of 2018. And have this message:
Some results may have been removed under data protection law in Europe. Learn more


So any locals or California people here? Maybe your search will be better than mine!

I looked up the cases. The number is almost correct but they have it as a South case so the case numbers for both are SCS297724. I couldn’t find the case on calendar. They don’t have an online docket. I have a feeling the trial was postponed.

ETA: I also searched for any news of the trial and couldn’t find a thing.

 

[Niner]

Thanks for checking Suglo! I think so - trial was postponed - otherwise they would probably have it on the court site every day....

And yes - that is the case # that I have for both of them and in South County. BUT! Sometimes they have showed up on the Central County one with the same case #s.

 

[Niner]

Ah! A google alert for this case!

2 on trial in killing of Chula Vista man found in oil drum in San Diego Bay


SAN DIEGO —

A Chula Vista man, fed up with his housemate’s drunkenness and dirty habits, stabbed him repeatedly, stuffed his body in an oil drum and got a friend to help dump the drum into San Diego Bay, a prosecutor said in court Tuesday [11/5/19].

Three years after the killing of 28-year-old Omar Medina, Timothy John Cook, 54, and his acquaintance, Derrick Jefferson Spurgeon, 40, are being tried together in the case in San Diego Superior Court.
[.....]
Attorneys gave opening statements in San Diego Superior Court on Tuesday to jurors and Judge Carolyn Caietti in what is expected to be a six-week trial.
[.....]
Medina’s sister, Alicia Villegas, testified that it was unusual for her brother to not answer her calls, texts or Facebook messages. She talked to his friends, checked for activity on his bank account, checked for cellphone records and even tried to hire a private investigator to find him.


that's all they really have for what happened at trial.... hopefully more articles can be found!

 

[Niner]

Wednesday, November 6th:
*Trial Continues (Day 2) for both (@ 9am PT) – CA – Omar Medina (38) (Sept. 30, 2017, Chula Vista Marina; reported missing Oct. 2, 2017, found Oct. 12, 2017 in 55 gal. drum in San Diego Bay) – *Timothy John Cook (52) arrested (12/13/17) & charged (1/5/18) with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. No bond. Faces up to 87 years to life.
Trial began on 10/22 with jury selection. Trial started on 11/5/19.
*Derrick Jefferson Spurgeon (38) arrested (12/13/17) & charged (1/5/18) with accessory after the fact to murder drove the boat) Plead not guilty. $500K bond. Trial began on 10/22 with jury selection. Trial started on 11/5/19. (for Case #SC29718)
10/22/19 Day 1 & 10/23/19 Day 2 & 10/24 Day 3 of jury selection.
11/5/19 Day 1 of Trial: Opening statements for both sides. State witnesses: Alicia Villegas (Medina's sister). No other info available yet. Trial continues on 11/6.

 

[Niner]

Trial begins in murder involving body stuffed in barrel

SAN DIEGO -- A man stabbed his housemate to death in Chula Vista two years ago, then stuffed the victim's body into a barrel that he and another man dumped into San Diego Bay, a prosecutor alleged Tuesday, while defense attorneys maintained that the evidence against their clients was entirely circumstantial.
[.....]
Medical examiners said Medina had been stabbed more than 60 times in the chest, back, neck and head.
[.....]
Defense attorney Kara Oien countered in her opening statement that there was no hard physical evidence tying Cook to Medina's death, and told jurors the district attorney was relying on circumstantial evidence to come to a false conclusion that her client killed Medina.
[.....]
According to the prosecution, Cook enlisted Spurgeon's assistance on Oct. 11 to haul the barrel and dispose of it.

Surveillance footage allegedly captures the men in a green Ford F-150 owned by Cook's half-brother, which is seen towing Spurgeon's boat from El Cajon to the bay. Somerville alleged that a barrel matching the one containing Medina's body can be seen in the bed of the pickup in the footage.

 

[Niner]

Thursday, November 7th:
*Trial Continues (Day 2) for both (@ 9am PT) – CA – Omar Medina (38) (Sept. 30, 2017, Chula Vista Marina; reported missing Oct. 2, 2017, found Oct. 12, 2017 in 55 gal. drum in San Diego Bay) – *Timothy John Cook (52) arrested (12/13/17) & charged (1/5/18) with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. No bond. Faces up to 87 years to life.
*Derrick Jefferson Spurgeon (38) arrested (12/13/17) & charged (1/5/18) with accessory after the fact to murder drove the boat) Plead not guilty. $500K bond.
Trial started on 10/22 with jury selection; trial started on 11/6/19.
10/22/19 Day 1 & 10/23/19 Day 2 & 10/24 Day 3 of jury selection.
11/5/19 Day 1 of Trial: Opening statements for both sides. State witnesses: Alicia Villegas (Medina's sister). No other info available yet. Trial continues on 11/6.

 

[Niner]

Friday, November 8th:
*Trial Continues (Day 4) for both (@ 9am PT) – CA – Omar Medina (38) (Sept. 30, 2017, Chula Vista Marina; reported missing Oct. 2, 2017, found Oct. 12, 2017 in 55 gal. drum in San Diego Bay) – *Timothy John Cook (52) arrested (12/13/17) & charged (1/5/18) with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. No bond. Faces up to 87 years to life.
*Derrick Jefferson Spurgeon (38) arrested (12/13/17) & charged (1/5/18) with accessory after the fact to murder drove the boat) Plead not guilty. $500K bond.
Trial set to begin on 10/22 for both.
10/22/19 Day 1 & 10/23/19 Day 2 & 10/24 Day 3 of jury selection.
11/5/19 Day 1 of Trial: Opening statements for both sides. State witnesses: Alicia Villegas (Medina's sister). No other info available yet. Trial continues on 11/6.
11/6/19 Day 2 of Trial. No info available yet. Trial continues to 11/7.
11/7/19 Day 3 of Trial: No info available yet. Trial continues to 11/8.

 

[Niner]

So - any locals here? Not getting much on google for any articles...

Wonder "what" is happening??

Anyone?

 

[Niner]

Still haven't heard anything "new" on whether this trial is going on or not - I'll put it in one more time!

Tuesday, November 12th:
*Trial Continues (Day 5) for both (@ 9am PT) – CA – Omar Medina (38) (Sept. 30, 2017, Chula Vista Marina; reported missing Oct. 2, 2017, found Oct. 12, 2017 in 55 gal. drum in San Diego Bay) – *Timothy John Cook (52) arrested (12/13/17) & charged (1/5/18) with 1st degree murder. Plead not guilty. No bond. Faces up to 87 years to life.
*Derrick Jefferson Spurgeon (38) arrested (12/13/17) & charged (1/5/18) with accessory after the fact to murder drove the boat) Plead not guilty. $500K bond.
Trial began on 10/22 with jury selection; trial started 11/5/19.
10/22/19 Day 1 & 10/23/19 Day 2 & 10/24 Day 3 of jury selection.
11/5/19 Day 1 of Trial: Opening statements for both sides. State witnesses: Alicia Villegas (Medina's sister). No other info available yet. Trial continues on 11/6.
11/6/19 Day 2 of Trial. No info available yet. Trial continues to 11/7.
11/7/19 Day 3 of Trial: No info available yet. Trial continues to 11/8.
11/8/19 Day 4 of Trial: No info available yet. Trial continues on Tuesday, 11/12.

 

[Niner]

@Suglo - are you local? Not finding anything "current" on this trial. I shall stop posting the daily notes I have until I hear some more!