A man charged with fatally shooting Jalal (Joe) Abou in his Point Loma auto shop in 2011, appeared Friday in court and waived his right to have a speedy hearing.
Nicolas Rosales, now 53, has pleaded not guilty to murder after being extradited from Mexico on Sept. 12.
Abou, 63, was shot to death at his shop at Joe’s Auto Repair on Rosecrans Street on April 19, 2011. He was found about 7:30 a.m. and was pronounced dead. Rosales used to work for him.
Rosales fled the area to Mexico and was arrested for an unspecified crime for which he was sent to prison. Mexican officials located him in the prison after his term ended, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service arrested him Sept. 12 in Mexico City.
Rosales appeared Friday before San Diego Superior Court Judge Lisa Rodriguez, who set a preliminary hearing for Jan. 24, 2018.
Rosales was arraigned last week, and agreed with his attorney Friday to delay the preliminary hearing, which had been set for Sept. 28.
He remains in the central jail on $4 million bail.