Two Marin County Jail inmates just pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor theft charges. Authorities say they used the personal info and jail ID of a decades-old murder defendant to make commissary purchases.
This blog post unpacks the case, who’s tangled up in it, and why folks in Novato, San Rafael, and all over Marin County are paying attention.
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A Murky Case Tied to a 1973 San Rafael Murder
The allegations connect two young Marin County inmates to a case that goes back nearly fifty years. DNA evidence linked 77-year-old Michael Eugene Mullen—a former Sonoma County resident—to the 1973 killing of Nina Fischer in San Rafael.
Mullen, convicted of first-degree murder, is set for sentencing on June 10. Authorities claim other inmates misused his information to buy items from the jail commissary.
People in Novato and San Rafael are keeping an eye on the courtroom schedule as the story develops. Deputies say the two inmates accessed Mullen’s personal info and jail ID to purchase commissary items.
The theft was small—about $40 worth—but it’s got people wondering about the security of inmate accounts. How well are we really protecting elderly victims and other vulnerable folks?
This case shines a light on the messy overlap between jail routines and modern concerns like identity theft and elder financial exploitation.
Who Are the Inmates?
Cristofer Alexander Larreinaga Corea, 19, of Novato, and Alexander Alonzo Velasquez, 24, of San Rafael, face misdemeanor charges. The list includes theft from an elder, identity theft, and theft of personal property.
Both men landed in a Marin County facility once the allegations surfaced. The focus now is on whether they used Mullen’s data to make those small commissary purchases.
Larreinaga Corea’s lawyer, Peter Chambers, called the whole thing a misunderstanding. He thinks a conversation could have cleared it up, and he’s expecting an acquittal if the charges get tossed.
Velasquez’s attorney, Jon Rankin, couldn’t be reached for comment. Velasquez is also in custody for a totally different case—he’s accused of sexually assaulting a drugged or intoxicated minor at a party.
Larreinaga Corea has his own separate trouble, too. He’s scheduled for sentencing on May 13 after pleading guilty to vehicular manslaughter in a Novato crash that killed a 14-year-old passenger.
All these overlapping cases have Marin County folks asking tough questions about juvenile justice, accountability, and public safety in the North Bay.
The Courtroom Timeline
At the latest hearing, Judge Geoffrey Howard set a trial date of June 1 for both inmates. Larreinaga Corea’s lawyer argued the case didn’t need to go to trial and could’ve been settled another way.
The stakes feel high in Marin County, with the verdict possibly depending on technical details about Mullen’s info and what counts as theft from an elder or identity theft. The court seems focused on keeping the process fair for both sides as June approaches.
Local Impact: Marin County in Focus
For folks in San Rafael and Novato, the case shows that even in a tight jail system, digital and paperwork slip-ups can put both victims and accused at risk. People are asking: what safeguards protect vulnerable populations from identity theft and financial exploitation, especially when suspects are already tangled in other high-profile cases?
In places like Corte Madera and Larkspur, neighbors want to know how local authorities will tighten up procedures to stop this from happening again. The victim in the decades-old crime, Nina Fischer, is part of San Rafael’s long, winding path toward justice.
Mullen’s case and the new charges against Larreinaga Corea and Velasquez highlight how the North Bay keeps wrestling with cases that cross generations, counties, and changing technology. Marin County residents should keep an eye on court dates and check updates from the Sheriff’s Office and San Rafael Courthouse as the trials and sentencing play out.
Key Dates to Watch
- June 1 — Trial date for Cristófer Larreinaga Corea and Alexander Velasquez (Marin County Superior Court).
- June 10 — Sentencing for Michael Eugene Mullen, the decades-old murder defendant linked to the case.
- May 13 — Tentative sentencing for Larreinaga Corea in the Novato vehicular manslaughter case.
Marin County has a lot going on in its courtrooms right now. Folks in Novato and San Rafael are watching closely, wondering how the courts will handle protecting vulnerable people’s identities while still giving defendants a fair shake.
Here is the source article for this story: Marin inmates deny stealing from murder convict
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