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Lara To Eventually Return to Oregon

BEND, OR -- After an alleged crime spree spanning at least four counties across two states, the Redmond man suspected of killing Kaylee Sawyer remains in a California jail. Edwin Lara was transferred from Tehama County to Siskiyou County, Wednesday night, where he’s accused of shooting a man at a Yreka motel, and carjacking a family at a gas station, following Sawyer’s Bend murder.

 

Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel says it’ll be at least another week before Lara returns to Oregon. "He’ll be charged with offenses in Siskiyou County. He’s also charged in Deschutes County, so I’ve spoken to the DA in Siskiyou County. We’ve agreed that the prosecution in Deschutes County will occur first." Hummel spoke with KBND News shortly after that conversation. He says, "I told him this is an extremely important case in our community and I made my pitch for why I want to handle it here first. And, he agreed."
 
But, bringing Lara back to Deschutes County is not a quick process. "He has a right to go in front of a judge who will ask him ‘do you contest extradition or do you agree to go to Oregon?’" Hummel says, "That hasn’t happened yet because Governor Brown hasn’t yet issued a warrant. She hasn’t because I’ve not asked her to do that yet. I’m going to initiate that process post haste." He says once a judge orders his extradition, transporting him from northern California to Central Oregon could take two to three days. 
 
 
According to court documents, Lara told his wife he hit Sawyer with his campus security vehicle early Sunday morning while on patrol near COCC. But, Hummel says there’s more to the story. "I’ve charged Mr. Lara with the crime of Murder, based on an allegation that he intentionally killed Kaylee Sawyer. I don’t initiate criminal prosecutions unless there’s evidence to support a charge." He plans to present evidence to a Grand Jury, next week. "I expect they’ll return charges or I wouldn’t be presenting the case to them, but that’s up to the Grand Jury. So, we’ll present the evidence to the Grand Jury, next week. Concurrently with that, the extradition process will be beginning, so it might take a few days for the Governor to process her paperwork. And, those papers will be presented to the Governor of California."
 
Lara also could eventually face additional charges in Marion County, relating to the alleged kidnapping of a Salem woman.

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