A man accused of fatally shooting his 68-year-old grandmother during a dispute at her Jurupa Valley home must stand trial for murder and other charges, a judge ruled Friday.
James Paul Lopez, 25, of Jurupa Valley, was arrested in August after allegedly gunning down Roberta L. Lopez inside her residence in the 5000 block of El Palomino Drive.
Following a preliminary hearing at the Riverside Hall of Justice, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Bernard Schwartz determined there was sufficient evidence to warrant a trial on the murder count, as well as sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.
The judge scheduled a post-preliminary hearing arraignment for Oct. 15 and ordered that Lopez remain held on $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Ed Baeza, about 10 p.m. Aug. 4, the defendant was involved in an unspecified dispute with the victim, and he allegedly pulled out a handgun and shot her.
Witnesses called 911, and deputies and paramedics reached the location within a few minutes, finding Roberta Lopez dead in the home, Baeza said.
The defendant was located nearby and detained for questioning without incident, after which he was booked into jail.
Lopez has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.