Brian Jerome Patton, 38, of Hemet was arrested in December following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation into the death of Denise Maria Christina.

Patton is charged with murder, animal cruelty and a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.

During a status hearing at the Banning Justice Center Monday, the prosecution and defense agreed to expediting the defendant’s preliminary hearing, prompting Superior Court Judge Jay Kiel to set it for Wednesday. The proceeding will determine whether there’s sufficient evidence to bound Patton over for trial on any or all counts.

He’s being held without bail at the Smith Correctional Facility.

According to sheriff’s officials, Christina died shortly before 5 p.m. on Dec. 11 at a house in the 25000 block of Minorca Street, near Palm Avenue, just south of the Soboba Indian Reservation.

Sgt. Rafael Victorio said patrol deputies were called to the location to investigate “a suspicious circumstance” and found the victim deceased.

Central Homicide Unit detectives took over the investigation, procuring sufficient evidence for an arrest warrant and taking Patton into custody without incident the following morning.

A possible motive for the alleged attack was not disclosed. It was unclear whether or how long the defendant and victim may have been acquainted, and there was no explanation in documents regarding the animal cruelty allegation.

Court records show Patton has prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, burglary and carrying a concealed weapon.

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