Jacob Iarosa has first hearing on murder charge in adult court Friday


WARREN — On Friday, Jacob Larosa, 16, will make his first appearance in an adult courtroom since an Ohio Supreme Court ruling in June that prevented the case from being sent back to juvenile court.

The hearing will be at 11 a.m. before Judge W. Wyatt McKay of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

Ohio’s top court said in June it did not have jurisdiction to hear an appeal in the case.

Larosa, of Lafayette Avenue in Niles, is charged with aggravated murder, attempted rape, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary in the March 31, 2015, killing of his neighbor, Marie Belcastro, 94.

If convicted, Larosa could get life in prison with no chance of parole. He was 15 at the time. A jury trial is set for Sept. 19 before Judge McKay.