Pubdate: Fri, 23 Feb 2007 Source: Palm Beach Post, The (FL) Copyright: 2007 The Palm Beach Post Contact: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/333 Author: Susan Spencer-Wendel, staff writer Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1543/a11.html FEDERAL PROSECUTOR SAYS GOVERNMENT STILL INVESTIGATING ESCOBEDO FAMILY SHOOTINGS CASE WEST PALM BEACH - A federal prosecutor told a judge this morning that the government will not soon be ready for trial against a klatch of drug defendants, some of them linked but not charged with the murder of the family found along Florida's Turnpike in October 2006. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Carlton told a federal judge that DNA testing is still underway which could result in additional indictments or exonerate some people in the end. No murder charges have been filed yet in the deaths of the Greenacres family - Jose Luis Escobedo, his wife Yessica and two sons 4-year-old Luis Julian and 3-year-old Luis Damian. The parents and children were shot execution-style and found in Port St. Lucie in what investigators have said is a drug-or money-related killing. Carlton nor the five defense attorneys standing before U.S. District Court Daniel T.K. Hurley Friday morning spoke the word murder in referring to additional charges. One defense attorney asked about the additional certifications the attorneys may need if new charges rise to a certain level - a cryptic reference to a potential death penalty case. "I understand exactly what you're saying," Hurley replied. Five people have been charged with selling cocaine - Danny Varela, Daniel Troya, Ricardo Sanchez Jr., Juan Gutierrez and Liana Lopez. All but Gutierrez have been linked to murders in statements by the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office. During the murder investigation, agents concluded that Escobedo was likely involved in cocaine trafficking activities.They have publicly linked Varela, Troya and Sanchez to Escobedo. A defense attorney for Varela said outside court that while the word murder was never spoken, that's the issue of the hour. Robert Gershman said while a murder charge would be highly unusual in federal court, nothing would surprise him in this case. "I think that the government is seriously conducting an investigation unlike any they've probably done in other cases," he said. "This case is viewed extra worse because of the young kids. Even if something was a problem, I think the critics will always say 'Why did you have to kill the kids?" - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin