Ettima was
arrested by the United States Marshals Service in a town south of Mexico City
and deported from Mexico to the United States on April 14, 2009.
Posted By CotoBlogzz
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA- Joseph Elija
Ettima was convicted today of murdering his grandmother and setting her house
on fire while his 8-year-old brother and 3-year-old niece were inside the home.
According to
the Orange County District Attorney’s (OCDA) office, Joseph Elija Ettima, 30,
was found guilty of one felony count of second degree murder, one felony count
of arson of an inhabited dwelling, two felony counts of child abuse, and a
sentencing enhancement for arson with an accelerant.
.
On Jan. 19, 2009, Ettima visited the Los Alamitos home of his 69-year-old grandmother, Emma Louise Hardwick-Street, to see if he could move in with her. Hardwick-Street was already raising two young children in her home including the defendant's 8-year-old brother and 3-year-old niece. When the victim refused to let Ettima move in, the defendant argued with his grandmother and stabbed her to death. The two children were present in the home at the time that Ettima murdered Hardwick-Street.
Ettima doused clothes and other flammable items in the house with rubbing alcohol and set the home on fire. He then fled the scene, leaving the two children. The 8-year-old boy was able to escape from the fire to the front of the house and rescued the 3-year-old girl by taking her with him.
Los Alamitos Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. A warrant was issued for Ettima on Jan. 21, 2009. He was arrested by the United States Marshals Service in a town south of Mexico City and deported from Mexico to the United States on April 14, 2009.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Sonia Balleste is prosecuting this case
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