Man Accused Of Killing Ex-Cupertino School Board Member Wants To Represent Self

SOUTH BAY, CA -- A handyman accused of murdering a former Cupertino Union School District board member earlier this year filed a request in court Thursday afternoon to represent himself, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office.

The request came after the public defender's office declared a conflict of interest in the case and Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Sharon Chatman appointed the alternate defender's office to represent
38-year-old Christopher Ellebracht.

The court's scheduled to hear the motion on the morning of Monday, April 24, prosecutors said.

Ellebracht was arrested Jan. 26, eight days after 70-year-old real estate agent Gin Lu "Tommy" Shwe was reported missing by his family. He was last seen the day before leaving a 24-Hour Fitness in Sunnyvale.

Investigators followed a trail of leads that led them to Ellebracht and to Shwe's strangled body in a shallow grave in Tulare County, sheriff's officials said.

Before his arrest, Ellebracht tried to cash a $10,000 check from Shwe's account and was seen on video buying a shovel at a Home Depot the morning that Shwe was reported missing, according to sheriff's officials.

Ellebracht was charged on Jan. 30 with murder, financial elder abuse and forgery.

Previous coverage:

• Arrest Made In Murder Of Ex-Cupertino School Board Member
• Cupertino Man Arrested After Police, CHP, Sheriff's Dept. Chase

Bay City News contributed to this report/Images via Santa Clara County Sheriff