NORWALK (CNS) - A man pleaded not guilty today to murdering his 66-year-old mother, whose body was found in a trash bin in Huntington Park.
Cristian Torres, 32, is charged in the slaying of Teresa Pasillas Iniguez, who was discovered dead April 5.
The woman died from stab wounds to the chest, according to records from the Los Angeles County coroner's office.
Along with the murder count, Torres is charged with taking a vehicle without consent.
Deputies went to the 2500 block of Santa Ana Street at about 10:30 p.m. April 4 on a report of a stolen vehicle, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
"They contacted the informant who stated their vehicle was missing along with a ... female family member. Preliminary information revealed foul play at the location and a stolen vehicle/missing persons investigation was initiated," according to a statement released by the sheriff's department.
The woman's body was found at about 6:30 a.m. the following day in a trash bin not far from the residence, according to sheriff's officials and the coroner's office.
The stolen vehicle was found, along with the woman's son, early April 5 at an undisclosed location in Rosemead. He was initially listed as a "person of interest" and was subsequently booked on suspicion of murder, according to the sheriff's department.
The suspect did not live with his mother, sheriff's officials said.
Torres remains jailed in lieu of $2 million bail, jail records show.
He is due back in a Norwalk courtroom July 14. A date is scheduled to be set then for a hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to allow the case against him to proceed to trial.