A man who is accused of killing his girlfriend made his first court appearance in his hospital bed on Thursday.
John Carlo Monta, 28, is the primary suspect in the death of 24-year-old JoAnne Javier, who was found stabbed to death in her car in Carlsbad last week.
Monta is also the father of Javier's 3-year-old child, according to friends of the victim.
Monta’s father told NBC 7 that the suspect is dying from lymphoma and had just undergone a bone marrow transfusion. When Monta surrendered to police after an hour-long standoff, he exited his Linda Vista home carrying a medical bag in his hand.
His bedside appearance on Thursday was brief, as an assistant defense attorney from the family protection unit submitted a no bail request. The DA asked that no cameras allowed because of his weakened state, but a judge overruled the request. There was also an interpreter in the room who spoke a specific dialect of Filipino.
Monta is being watched 24 hours a day by security at Thornton Hospital UCSD. If convicted, he could get 26 years to life and his next court date is later this month, depending on his health.
