Judge dismisses 2 murder charges against suspect in Vancouver officer’s death
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Clark County judge dismissed two of the three murder charges against a man Thursday morning for his involvement in the death of an off-duty Vancouver police officer back in early 2022.
The original incident occurred the night of January 29, 2022, when off-duty Vancouver Police Officer Donald Sahota, 53, was at his home near Battle Ground. A man then entered his home and attacked him. Sahota fought with the intruder, later identified as Julio Segura, while Sahota’s wife called 911.
The altercation moved to the front porch, leading to Segura stabbing Sahota, puncturing his lung. Then, minutes later, Sahota was shot to death by Clark County Deputy Jonathan Feller, who claimed he mistook Sahota for the suspect.
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Lower Columbia Major Crimes Team investigators said the stabbing “would have been life-threatening without immediate medical intervention.“ However, the medical examiner who performed the autopsy said the gunshot wounds to Sahota’s chest “were so traumatic that those were the injuries that took his life.”
After a lengthy investigation, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office announced Deputy Feller would not be charged in Sahota’s death.
Prior to the shooting, investigators said Julio Segura was armed with a gun when he robbed a Chevron convenience store in the Orchards area that night. He then allegedly took off in a stolen vehicle and drove randomly to Sahota’s home, where the fight with Sahota occurred.
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On May 6, Segura went on trial in Clark County Superior Court for Sahota’s death, originally facing three counts of first-degree murder, and one count each of attempted first-degree murder, second-degree murder, attempted first-degree kidnapping, first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and attempt to elude a pursuing police vehicle.
The prosecution asserted Segura caused Sahota’s death by committing a crime and fleeing from police. But the judge said the deputy didn’t know the defendant had stabbed the officer and couldn’t have known enough in the moment to support the felony murder charge.
“I believe all of us have been analyzing this under foreseeability and actual causation and not legal causation,” said Judge Nancy N. Retsinas. “And it’s appropriate given the legal magnitude of Mr. Segura’s rights for the court to consider this, even at this very late hour.”
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The prosecutors asked the judge to not tell the jury the two charges are being dropped, but the judge denied the request.
Next, the two sides will present closing arguments on the rest of the charges. Following that, the case will be in the hands of the jury.
KOIN 6 News will continue to follow this trial and will have updates as they develop.
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