Son Pleads Not Guilty to Mom's Murder

The suspect in the brutal murder of a Solana Beach Woman pleaded not guilty in court on Friday. 

Police arrested 28-year-old Bryan Chang in Los Angeles earlier this week. Investigators said they found what appeared to be blood in his ear and under his fingernails and toenails.

Deputy District Attorney Rachel Solov said a possible motive for the killing of  Chang's mother, Sherry Chang, was a dispute over money. Solov said Chang, 60, was financially supporting her son, who has been out of work for several months.

Chang's body was found on Monday by a concerned co-worker. Solov revealed gruesome details of the murder, saying one of  Chang's arms and bits of skull were discovered in the refrigerator. She also said it appeared that the cause of death was blunt force trauma from a weapon similar to a claw hammer. No murder weapon has been found.

Prosecutors said Bryan Chang took a cab to Los Angeles at 2 a.m. on Monday morning and attempted to use his mother's credit card. Solov said he tried to make numerous other charges as well.

Judge Joan Weber set bail at $5 million due to what she called the "viciousness" of the crime.

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