After more than six years of delays since Krista Pike was discovered beaten to death in a Madera home, one of the suspects facing criminal charges in the 18-year-old’s murder appeared in Stanislaus County court Wednesday.
Dustin Gran, 25, remained almost entirely silent and barely shifted in his seat during the pre-trial hearing, which contained testimony from his father and California Department of Justice (DOJ) investigators.
Prosecutors allege that on Jan. 14, 2008, Gran beat Pike to death then photographed her body with his cell phone and sent the pictures to then-16-year-old Brittany Navarra — accused of planning the attack because she wished to rekindle a romance with Pike’s fiancé.
Navarra — whose trial is scheduled to begin in May — did not appear in court Wednesday. Like Gran, she faces charges of murder, attempted rape, burglary and robbery in Pike’s death...