Judge: Larosa will be tried as adult in neighbor's beating death

WARREN — Jacob Larosa, 16, will be tried as an adult in the March 31 beating death of his neighbor, Marie Belcastro, 94.

Judge Sandra Stabile Harwood issued that decision this morning in Trumbull County Juvenile Court, deciding that Larosa, of Lafayette Avenue in Niles, is not amenable to rehabilitation in the juvenile system

Larosa was present in the courtroom for the decision, which was read by Judge Stabile Harwood. The hearing was open to the public.

Four days of hearings took place last week in juvenile court to allow Atty. Rob Kokor, who represents Larosa, to argue why Larosa's case should remain in the juvenile-justice system. Chris Becker, assistant Trumbull County prosecutor, represented Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins, who said he felt Larosa should be tried as an adult.

The hearings were closed to the public.

According to Ohio law, the hearings were to include testimony regarding mental-health and other evaluations conducted on Larosa. Among the criteria Judge Stabile Harwood was required to consider were whether Larosa is amenable to rehabilitation in the juvenile system and whether the safety of the community requires that he be subject to adult sanctions.

Larosa is charged with aggravated murder, attempted rape, aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery.

If he is convicted in adult court of aggravated murder, he could get life in prison with no chance at parole or one of the lesser life prison sentences with parole eligibility.