Villegas-Rosa is charged with second degree murder for the shooting death of John Baynham Jr at a St Joseph nightclub February 5. According to court documents a fight occurred in the First and Last Chance Bar at 1817 Garfield. “After an initial altercation the suspect pulled out a pistol and shot three times at the victim striking him at least once,” according to the probable cause affidavit.
In court Thursday, Villegas-Rosa waived his preliminary hearing. Associate Circuit Judge Rebecca Spencer bound the defendant over for trial.
Arraignment is scheduled arraignment April 16 at 8:30am in Division Four before Judge Daniel Kellogg.
Bond was initially denied in the case, after law offers asserted that Villegas-Rose is a flight risk. Detectives say he has been arrested four times for Failure to Appear, has no job or any long term ties to the St Joseph community. Investigators said in court documents that he is originally from Puerto Rico and still has significant ties there.
Judge Spencer was scheduled to hear a motion to grant bond Thursday. But Villegas-Rosa’s defense lawyer asked her not to consider the motion now. The bond motion will be heard by Judge Kellogg at a later date.