Larosa trial date set for Feb. 12

Staff report

WARREN

Jacob Larosa, the 18-year old Niles resident accused of beating a 94-year-old woman to death during a robbery in her Niles home in March 2015, will face trial early next year.

Judge W. Wyatt McKay of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court set the trial date for Feb. 12, 2018, after Larosa’s public defenders withdrew a previous motion for a competency-evaluation hearing during a court appearance Friday.

“There were a number of considerations involved, and I don’t want to comment on them,” said Atty. Matt Pentz, one of the defense attorneys, in response to a question why he withdrew his motion.

Earlier this week, Judge McKay ruled against another defense motion asking to split the trial in two phases both to be heard by a jury – the trial and sentencing if convicted.

Larosa, who was 15 when police said he killed Marie Belcastro, his neighbor, at her Cherry Street home, will be tried as an adult.

Because he was a juvenile at the time, he is not eligible for the death penalty under Ohio law.

He is charged with aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and attempted rape.

If convicted, he faces life imprisonment with no possibility of parole.