Jury selection begins for man accused of killing mother in Grover Beach

Jury selection began Monday in 26-year-old Levente Lazar’s murder trial.

He’s accused of stabbing and killing his mother, 64-year-old Athena Valentiny, last October at her Grover beach home.

He has pleaded not guilty.

It was a long and meticulous process Monday as the judge questioned each potential juror. He asked if they felt they could be impartial in this murder trial.

Prosecutors accuse Lazar of committing the murder for financial gain, which is why they are seeking life in prison without the possibility of parole during this trial.

Investigators say they tracked Lazar’s connection to the murder, through street video surveillance footage. And found searches on his iPad with phrases like “Lavente Lazar murder” an hour before authorities had discovered Valentiny’s body.

Investigators say he flew back home to Bloomington, Indiana after the murder. That’s where deputies picked him up when they extradited him back to the Central Coast.

As of Monday, Jury selection is still underway. No jurors have been chosen.

The process will resume in court on Tuesday.

KEYT 2019