An Indiana man charged with the murder of his mother in Grover Beach made his first court appearance Monday in connection with the case.
The arraignment, which was continued to Dec. 17, comes after jail records show Levente Laszlo Lazar was booked at the San Luis Obispo County Jail Thursday evening after being extradited from Bloomington, Indiana. He is being held without bail.
The 26-year-old was arrested Nov. 6 following a joint investigation by the Grover Beach Police Department and San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office.
Lazar’s mother, Athena Valentiny, 64, was stabbed to death in her home on or around Oct. 24, authorities said.
Her body was discovered Oct. 25 during a welfare check at the home on the 200 block of South 9th Street.
Valentiny had worked at the California Men’s Colony as a licensed vocational nurse since 2013, according to CMC officials. She started with the Department of Corrections in 2011.
Police say the murder was premeditated, although a possible motive has not been released by authorities.
A search warrant was also executed.
Lazar is reportedly in the process of obtaining a private attorney.
