Crime & Safety

Napa Prosecutor Files For 'Special Circumstances' in Madrigal Murder Case

If approved, complaint would make Madrigal eligible for life without parole.

Napa County prosecutors today filed an amended complaint against murder suspect Adrian Madrigal, adding two "special circumstances" to the original charges.

Madrigal, 24, a Napa-area transient, is accused of stabbing 62-year-old Don Buffington of Napa to death on June 20 amidst a botched burglary attempt.

Although a copy of the amended complaint was not immediately available, Napa County Chief Dep. District Attorney Paul Gero said later the addition of special circumstances means that Madrigal, if convicted, would be eligible to face a sentence of life in prison without parole.

Gero said the two special circumstances are for murder while in the process of committing a burglary, and murder while in the process of committing a robbery.

Madrigal's attorney, Napa County Senior Trial Dep. Public Defender Jess Raphael, said he had not yet seen a copy of the amended complaint and therefore declined immediate comment.

Napa County Superior Court Judge Mark Boessenecker today ordered the court to continue Madrigal's arraignment until July 10.

At that time, Raphael said he will ask the court to move Madrigal to a locked treatment facility within Napa County State Hospital for the duration of Madrigal's trial. Madrigal is currently in custody at Napa County Jail.

"It will be safer for him and he'll be getting treatment," Raphael said later. "In the jail, inmates have set themselves on fire and have hung themselves."

Also on July 10, Madrigal is expected to enter a plea. He did not do so at his first court hearing on June 25 and did not do so on Wednesday.

Madrigal is facing charges of murder, first degree residential robbery, first degree burglary (person present), unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle, and special allegations for use of a deadly weapon and prior offenses.








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