Placer murder trial scheduled for Roseville park shooting that killed hostage
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Placer Superior Court judge scheduled Eric Abril's murder trial to begin in October.
- Abril faces murder and attempted murder charges in the 2023 park shooting.
- Trial follows delay after Abril entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.
A Placer Superior Court judge on Wednesday scheduled a murder trial to start in October for a man accused of killing a hostage and wounding two other people during a 2023 police standoff at a Roseville park.
Judge Michael Jones scheduled the trial to begin Oct. 20 for Eric James Abril, 37, who faces charges of murder and attempted murder in the shooting at Mahany Park in Roseville.
The trial was initially scheduled to begin three months ago but was delayed after Abril changed his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity. If he’s convicted, a jury will then have to decide whether Abril was insane when the park shooting occurred.
Abril is accused of shooting James MacEgan, of Roseville, and MacEgan’s wife during the April 6, 2023 standoff with authorities. MacEgan, 72, died from his injuries. Patricia MacEgan and California Highway Patrol Officer Matthew Hiatt were wounded by gunfire.
Abril also faces two additional counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer, alleging that Abril also fired gunshots at two other officers, Leo Smith and Tyson Becker, during the standoff.
Police officials have said Abril took the couple hostage during the standoff with police after a shootout with CHP investigators trying to serve a search warrant at the park. Abril is accused of shooting Hiatt during the shootout with the officers at the park before he confronted the MacEgans.
Abril also is accused of escaping from custody while receiving medical treatment at Sutter Roseville Medical Center three months after he was arrested following the park standoff.
Placer County sheriff’s officials have said Abril was being guarded by a deputy but managed “to defeat his restraints” and slip out of the hospital shortly after 3 a.m. July 9, 2023, while the deputy was on a bathroom break. Abril was captured after a 33-hour manhunt.
At Wednesday morning’s hearing, Placer County Deputy District Attorney David Tellman, who is prosecuting Abril, told the judge that he anticipates the trial will last 25 days.
Abril remains in custody at the Placer County Jail and is scheduled to return to court July 23 to determine whether the murder trial is still on track to start in October.
