Randy L. Brown and Robert E. Dillenbeck have been ordered to stand trial in the death of a Pioneer Park drug dealer authorities allege they tried to stiff.
Brown, 34, and Dillenbeck, 35, were bound over Tuesday on charges of first-degree felony murder and third-degree felony attempted robbery after a preliminary hearing before 3rd Circuit Judge Dennis M. Fuchs. The defendants will be arraigned July 31 before 3rd District Judge Glenn K. Iwasaki.They are accused in the April 12 death of Fernando Olivas, 37, who allegedly tried to stop them from driving off without paying and was thrown from their moving car.
Authorities claim that on several occasions, Brown, an asbestos remover, and Dillenbeck, a truck driver, stole drugs at Pioneer Park.
The two men persuaded dealers to hand over drugs for inspection, then sped away, according to testimony from an informant.
Olivas dived partway into the passenger window of Brown's car and grappled with Dillenbeck to retrieve a small bindle of cocaine, police allege.
Dillenbeck allegedly smashed the dealer's face into a dashboard air-conditioner grill. Dillenbeck then flung Olivas from the car, which was traveling 25 to 30 miles per hour, according to testimony. Olivas' head struck the pavement and cracked.
Brown and Dillenbeck kept driving, but police officer Joel Evans was right behind them and arrested them.
Brown allegedly said the two men had planned to buy drugs but the deal went bad after Dillenbeck started haggling over price.
Police were suspicious of that story because the defendants had no money to buy drugs.