Prelim Continues for Vallejo Couple in Fatal Robbery Case

Overview of the Ongoing Legal Proceedings

The second day of a preliminary hearing for two Vallejo men accused in connection with the April death of a Bay Point man whose charred remains were found in Vacaville will continue on Wednesday in Solano County Superior Court in Fairfield. The case involves Clifton Brooks Summerise Jr., 55, a previously convicted felon accused of murder, and Gene Arthelle Sanderson, 48, a previously convicted felon charged with robbery. Both are linked to the death of Adam Muela, 58, who was found on Cherry Glen Road on April 13.

During the first day of the hearing, both defendants appeared in court shackled and wearing striped jail jumpsuits. Clifton Brooks Summerise Jr. was represented by Fairfield criminal defense attorney Sal Giambona, while Gene Arthelle Sanderson was represented by the Alternate Public Defender. The prosecution was led by Deputy District Attorney Ilana Shapiro, who was assisted by Solano County Sheriff's Detective Joe Elliott.

Testimonies and Key Developments

The first day of the hearing started with the prosecution calling its first witness, Daniel Lamons, 37. Shapiro showed him a photo of what appeared to be a cellphone with a text message highlighted in blue. Lamons confirmed he recognized the image but provided limited information during his testimony. His voice was low, making parts of his statements difficult to hear. Throughout his testimony, Lamons frequently yawned and rubbed his eyes and face. Despite this, he was able to identify Summerise.

Shapiro then called a second witness, a woman who also identified Summerise. However, she struggled with recalling events and often asked Shapiro to clarify her questions. At the end of the morning session, Judge Pendergast ordered Lamons to return to the witness stand in the afternoon. The day concluded with the scheduling of Day 2 of the hearing to begin at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday in the Justice Center in Fairfield.

Additional Case Details and Legal Implications

A third individual involved in the case, Maria DeLeon, 43, also known as Maria Anita Williams, entered no-contest pleas to grand theft of a person and being an accessory to a crime in July. She was originally scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday but had her sentencing postponed to 8:30 a.m. on November 3. Chief Deputy Public Defender Felicia Carrington represents DeLeon.

DeLeon, who was on probation at the time of her April 22 arrest, faces additional charges including possessing narcotics, assault with a deadly weapon, parole violation, battery of a spouse, and willful cruelty to a child. Her bail on these charges is set at $50,000, but she remains without bail in Stanton Correctional Facility due to her accessory and grand theft convictions.

Legal Updates and Potential Consequences

Court records show that Deputy District Attorney Ilana Shapiro filed a motion on July 10 to amend Summerise’s criminal complaint, adding a new charge against him. Initially charged on April 12 with a fatal shooting and a home invasion robbery in concert with others on or about April 21, the new charge relates to his April 24, 2012, conviction of three counts of armed robbery following a Santa Clara County Superior Court trial. If found guilty at trial in Solano, the judge may consider the prior convictions during sentencing.

Because the killing occurred during the commission of a robbery, the prosecution against Summerise could potentially make him eligible for the death penalty. During a June 26 proceeding, Judge Pendergast cited the possibility of Shapiro seeking capital punishment and requested that Giambona file a CR-605 form, a Capital Case Attorney Trial Checklist. This document ensures that both the defense and the prosecution have all required records throughout the trial if the case goes to trial. It also allows the attorneys to certify to the court that each has reviewed these requirements.

At one point during the June proceeding, Giambona informed Pendergast that he knows a fellow attorney with prior experience in death-eligible cases who may be able to assist him if needed to defend his client.

Arrests and Initial Investigation

On April 22, Solano County Sheriff's deputies arrested Summerise at or near the intersection of Pine and Magazine streets and DeLeon in the 900 block of Pine. They were taken into custody in connection with the shooting death of Muela.

According to investigators, deputies were called to the Cherry Glen scene on April 13 after reports of a dead body. There, they found the charred remains of Muela, who had suffered gunshot wounds.