MURRIETA (CNS) - Jury selection began Monday in the trial of a probationer accused of killing a man and woman in Temecula earlier this year and dumping their remains on the outskirts of Hemet.
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David Alan Floyd, 60, of Temecula, was arrested in February following a Riverside County Sheriff's Department investigation into the deaths of Angel Ponce of Escondido and Danielle Ricker of Temecula, both 31.
Floyd, who is acting as his own attorney, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, a special circumstance allegation of taking multiple lives, being a probationer in possession of a firearm, violating a domestic violence restraining order and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.
Riverside County Superior Court Judge Timothy Freer ruled on pretrial motions at the end of last week, and on Monday morning, he began summoning panels of prospective jurors to the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta for screening as to their availability and qualifications, according to court minutes.
It was unclear whether opening statements would go forward before week's end.
Floyd was being held without bail at the Byrd Detention Center.
According to sheriff's Sgt. Steve Brosche, an investigation into Ponce's and Ricker's disappearance was initiated on Feb. 18, when loved ones reported them missing from her Temecula home.
"Both Ponce and Ricker lived at the same residence, and the evidence suggested they were deceased," Brosche said.
Detectives obtained undisclosed leads pointing to Floyd as the possible assailant responsible for their deaths, and on Feb. 27, he was taken into custody without incident after a search warrant was served at his property in the 34000 block of Galleron Street, according to the sergeant.
"On (March 2), investigators located the remains of two people ... near the area of East Benton Road and Sage Road," Brosche said.
The bodies, found in an area that's part of the unincorporated community of Sage, were ultimately identified as those of Ponce and Ricker.
A possible motive for the double murder was not divulged by sheriff's investigators.
Court records show Floyd has a prior misdemeanor conviction for disturbing the peace.
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