Judge Holds Murder Defendant Without Bail

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During a status hearing Oct. 2, a DC Superior Court judge denied the defense’s motion to release a murder defendant to a halfway house.

Jose Luzunaris is charged with first-degree murder while armed for allegedly stabbing 56-year-old Gregory Monroe on Feb. 3, 2018, at the Judiciary House Apartments located on the 400 block of H Street, NW.

Luzunaris’ defense attorney, Matthew Davies, requested that the defendant be released to a halfway house in light of new evidence that had been discovered after his preliminary hearing in April of 2018.

Davies said the alleged murder weapon, a knife, was never found on the crime scene. However, Judge Craig Iscoe said the information was not new because the prosecution said, during the hearing, that the murder weapon was not recovered.

Judge Iscoe maintained his earlier finding of probable cause. He said his ruling was based, in part, because there was no new information and because the prosecution secured an indictment in November.

Judge Iscoe also said the offense took place while Luzunaris was already on conditional release for another offense.

Luzunaris is being held at DC Jail without bail.

Luzunaris is scheduled for a trial readiness hearing Jan. 17, 2020.