Scott Dyleski is accused of murdering Pamela Vitale.
Pamela and her husband, Daniel Horowitz, were living in a trailer on the site where their mansion was being built.
At that time, Horowitz was defending Susan Polk, who was on trial for murdering her husband, Felix Polk.
Polk later fired Horowitz, claiming that he confessed to her that he had a role in killing Vitale and framing Dyleski.
Good plot for a who-done-it novel !!! :-)
MARTINEZ - A Superior Court judge today denied a request to move the murder trial of Scott Dyleski out of Contra Costa County.
Judge Barbara Zuniga said she reviewed more than 200 newspaper accounts of the case and found that the reports reflected "actual proceedings in court" but did not contain material prejudicial to the defendant.
Dyleski, 17, is charged as an adult with murder and residential burglary in the October 2005 slaying of Pamela Vitale, a 48-year-old Lafayette woman who lived near him.
Zuniga heard arguments Thursday on the defense change of venue motion. A CSU Chico professor testified that an "exceeding" high number of county residents were familiar with the Dyleski case and that more than 60 percent had decided that he was guilty.
The judge said Friday that she placed "little weight" on Ross' study.
Jury selection the Dyleski trial is set to begin Monday.