A man wanted on a murder warrant in connection with the beating death of a bouncer outside Pats II Cocktails in South Redondo Beach turned himself in at about 2:40 p.m. Wednesday, police said in a news release.
Carson resident Rene Anthony Avina, along with Redondo Beach resident Francisco "Frank" Cobarruvias Jr., is suspected of beating Terie Colecchi, 49, on June 2 shortly before closing time. Colecchi died of his injuries.
According to police Sgt. Shawn Freeman, Avina's attorney, Christopher Glew, contacted police and said his client was ready to turn himself in. Detectives picked Avina up at Glew's offices in Santa Ana.
"We handcuffed (Avina), brought him back to the Redondo Beach jail," said police Sgt. Shawn Freeman. "As far as I know, he was arrested without incident."
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office has filed murder charges against both Avina, 23, and Cobarruvias, 35. Avina is currently being held on $1 million bail and is scheduled to appear at the Torrance Courthouse on Thursday.
Online booking records for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department indicate that Cobarruvias is being held on $2 million bail at the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic. His next court appearance will be at the Torrance Courthouse on Monday.
Cobarruvias' lawyer, Jeffrey Gray, has maintained that his client's arrest is a case of mistaken identity.
Rene Avina is the nephew of Alejandro Avina, who was arrested June 3 but released only a couple of days later pending further investigation, Freeman said.
Avina is the nephew of Alejandro Avina, who was arrested June 3 but released only a couple of days later pending further investigation, Freeman said.
Alejandro Avina has said that he was home sleeping at the time of the attack.
Though the case is now with prosecutors, Redondo police will continue to do followup investigations, Freeman said. Crime scene investigators are still processing some of the evidence, and at least two detectives are working on the case.
"It's going to take a lot more manpower to get it ready for the trial," said Freeman.
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