“Despite an attempt by accused killer Jarrod Wyatt’s defense attorney to lessen the charges, Del Norte Superior Court Judge William Follett ruled Wednesday that there was enough evidence to support the original counts against the 26-year-old mixed martial arts fighter and proceed toward trial. Wyatt faces charges of first-degree murder, aggravated mayhem and torture, in addition to special allegations attached to each count for the use of a deadly weapon, in the death of 21-year-old Crescent City resident Taylor Powell, whose body was found mutilated at a house on Fizer Road in Klamath on March 21. ‘We easily proved those counts,’ Del Norte County District Attorney Mike Riese said after Wednesday’s preliminary hearing. ‘The judge really had no choice … The evidence was really overwhelming on murder.’” —Murder case proceeds against Wyatt
