Trial Date Set In Temecula Murder Case

MURRIETA, CA — A Dec. 2 trial date was confirmed Friday for a man accused of fatally stabbing a 34-year-old acquaintance during a confrontation in Temecula.

Andrew Christian Temple, 30, of Temecula is charged with murder and a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony for the 2019 slaying of David Deschepper.

During a status hearing at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, Riverside County Superior Court Judge F. Paul Dickerson consulted with the prosecution and defense regarding trial scheduling, and both sides agreed to be prepared to move forward in the first week of December.

Dickerson set a pretrial hearing for Nov. 5 to ensure the parties remain on track.

Temple is being held on $1 million bail at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.

According to sheriff's Sgt. Richard Carroll, on the afternoon of Dec. 21, 2019, Temple and Deschepper got into a dispute near a business in the 41000 block of Moreno Road, just off Jefferson Avenue, culminating in the defendant allegedly pulling a knife and stabbing the victim.

The nature of the dispute was unclear.

Deschepper was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, who were called to the location minutes after the alleged attack, according to Carroll.

Temple was arrested without a struggle nearby and booked into jail after being questioned by detectives.

According to court records, the defendant has prior misdemeanor convictions for domestic abuse and driving on a suspended license.

—City News Service