Trial ordered for suspects accused of bilking elderly couple
North County Times – Escondido,CA,USA
… ordered trial to begin March 19 for a woman and her husband, who are
accused of bilking an elderly, vision-impaired couple out of their
Encinitas home. …

VISTA – A judge today ordered trial to begin March 19 for a woman and her husband, who are accused of bilking an elderly, vision-impaired couple out of their Encinitas home.

Gina Trevino, a 48-year-old caretaker with a lengthy criminal record, and 34-year-old Robert Holman were ordered by Judge K. Michael Kirkman to remain in custody pending trial.

According to testimony at their preliminary hearing, Trevino was hired about a year ago to be a caretaker for Pat and Dorothy Torano, and she moved into their Ocean Crest Road house about two months later. Holman moved in five days after that.

Witnesses testified that Trevino collected a number of credit cards under the Toranos’ names, bought three cars with their money, and, when she gained power of attorney, had them sign over title to their home.

The 89-year-old male victim is nearly blind, hard of hearing, and suffered a loss of mental acuity following a stroke. He attempted to testify at the earlier hearing, but appeared largely unaware of what was taking place.

His wife, who could be as old as 99, is blind.

Trevino took the stand in her own defense at the prior hearing and said she needed the credit cards to pay her employers’ bills and required the cars to drive them to medical appointments.

Sheriff’s Detective Deborah Boyd testified that a neighbor told her that she overheard Trevino loudly wondering who would get “first dibs” on the house when the couple died.

A real estate agent estimated the residence was worth well over $500,000, Boyd said.

The judge who presided over the preliminary hearing said she was “appalled” by the alleged crimes and described Trevino as “one of the worst con artists and liars this court has ever seen.”

The defendants are charged with theft of real estate, two counts each of theft by a caretaker and theft from an elder, along with possession of stolen property and auto theft.

Trevino has been convicted previously of receiving stolen property, check forgery and cruelty to a child. Her husband was on probation for theft when he was arrested in this case.