Derrick Woods Charged With Torture, Murder In Baby's Death At West Sacramento Motel
WEST SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - The Yolo County district attorney formally filed charges against Derrick Woods, the man accused of killing a baby at a West Sacramento motel earlier this week.
Facing a judge for the first time Thursday, Woods pleaded not guilty during the virtual hearing. He's facing five counts including murder, assault, and torture.
Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig announced that his office filed a formal criminal complaint against Woods, 43, alleging charges of murder with a special circumstance for inflicting torture in the commission of the murder, assault on a child under eight with force likely to produce great bodily injury resulting in death, and abusing or endangering the health of a child, with an enhancement for infliction of great bodily injury upon a child under five years of age during the commission of a felony.
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The charges come after police on Monday found the body of 1-year-old Amanda Marie Owens at Silvey's Motel at 1030 West Capitol Avenue in response to a welfare check request, according to a West Sacramento Police Department statement. Owens had suffered traumatic injuries.
Owens' 3-year-old brother was also hospitalized with serious injuries that were allegedly inflicted by Woods.
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Reisig says this case is deeply troubling.
"As charged, this is a capital case. But no decision has been made on the penalty that we will seek should Mr. Woods be convicted on all qualifying charges," Reisig said during the hearing.
Woods has a lengthy criminal history and was arrested at a Sacramento residence on Tuesday following an intense search by law enforcement. He is being held without bail at the Yolo County Jail.
The judge also barred Woods from contacting the children's mother and her 3-year-old son. He is due back in court on April 2.