June 8 – WILKES-BARRE – A Freeland man who admitted to killing and dismembering the body of Jose “Pepe” Herran nearly eight years ago in Foster Township will be returned to state prison.
Luzerne County Judge David W. Lupas on Thursday granted a request to continue the trial of David Alzugaray, 54, until at least October or November.
Alzugaray’s attorneys, William J. Watt III and Sidney D. May, requested the postponement.
Alzugaray’s trial was scheduled to begin the week of July 10.
Assistant District Attorney Daniel E. Zola who, along with Assistant District Attorney Drew McLaughlin, is prosecuting, did not dispute the delay.
Hazleton State Police charged Alzugaray and his co-accomplice Roberto Torner, 50, with killing Herran, 63, in a Torner-owned trailer on North Buck Mountain Road in October 2015.
In a separate trial held last month, a jury convicted Torner of first-degree murder, criminal solicitation to commit homicide and criminal conspiracy to commit homicide. Torner faces life in prison when he is due on July 18.
During Torner’s trial, Alzugaray testified on his behalf, accepting full responsibility for Herran’s murder, telling the jury that Torner had nothing to do with the murder and the dismemberment of the body.
Alzugaray and Herran are from Cuba. They immigrated to the United States, staying in New Jersey before moving to The Cottage, a boarding house Torner owned in Freeland.
Testimony during Torner’s trial indicated that Alzugaray and Herran did not enjoy each other’s company.
Zola said Alzugaray’s trial will likely be a “mirror image” of Torner’s trial.
Lupas said he would post a final trial start date at a later date.
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