On Friday, July 18, Robert Pape pleaded not guilty to the 2006 murders of Becky Friedli, her mother and her mother’s boyfriend. After six deferrals, Pape made a formal plea during a hearing at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.
On the night of Sept. 17, 2006, Becky, 18, her mother, Vicki Friedli, 53, and Vicki’s boyfriend, Jon Hayward, 55, were found dead. Becky’s body was found burning in a wheelbarrow outside the house. The other bodies were found inside the burning home.
On March 11 of this year, both Pape, 26, and Cristin Smith, 25, were arrested and charged for these murders. They were high school friends.
Both are to reappear in court on Aug. 1. There may be a motion to combine the trials.
Pape’s attorney, Richard Blumenfeld, requested a hearing to review the lack of bail for his client, but Judge Michael Naughton did not change the status of no bail allowed.
