A convicted felon accused of fatally stabbing a 56-year-old woman at a Valle Vista property pleaded not guilty Thursday to murder and other offenses.
Brian Jerome Patton, 38, of Hemet was arrested last month following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation into the death of Denise Maria Christina.
Along with murder, Patton is charged with animal cruelty and a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.
The defendant was arraigned Thursday before Superior Court Judge Judith Clark, who scheduled a felony settlement conference for Feb. 3 at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.
Patton is being held without bail at the Smith Correctional Facility in Banning.
According to sheriff’s officials, Christina died shortly before 5 p.m. on Dec. 11 at a house in the 25000 block of Minorca Street, near Palm Avenue, just south of the Soboba Indian Reservation.
Sgt. Rafael Victorio said patrol deputies were called to the location to investigate “a suspicious circumstance” and found the victim dead.
Central Homicide Unit detectives were summoned and took over the investigation. They procured sufficient evidence for an arrest warrant and took Patton into custody without incident the following morning.
A possible motive for the alleged attack was not disclosed. It was unclear whether or how long the defendant and victim may have been acquainted, and there was no explanation in documents regarding the animal cruelty allegation.
Court records show Patton has prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and carrying a concealed weapon.