North Hollywood Man Charged With Stabbing Death of Roommate

A North Hollywood man was charged today with killing his 67-year-old roommate after the older man intervened in a fight.

Manuel Garcia, 21, pleaded not guilty this afternoon in Van Nuys Superior Court to a murder charge stemming from Saturday's slaying of Jorge Valladares, who was stabbed and repeatedly struck over the head with a cooking pot.

Garcia is also charged with one count of corporal injury to a cohabitant.

Valladares was killed after trying to intervene in an altercation between Garcia and the young man's live-in girlfriend at the apartment they shared with others in the 12000 block of Vanowen Street, police said.

Garcia was arrested later that day near Barbara Ann Street and Bellaire Avenue.

He remains jailed in lieu of $1 million bail while awaiting a hearing June 14 to determine if there is enough evidence to require him to stand trial.