LA HABRA, Calif., March 23 -- Police say murder charges will be filed against a one-armed man accused of killing a 12-year-old boy, then cutting his body into pieces and encasing them in concrete. Authorities said they decided to formally charge 27-year-old Egyptian native John Samuel Ghobrial ('GO'-bree-ahl') after police found cement mix, blood, clothes and cutting tools in his home.
The boy, Juan Delgado, was reported missing since about 3:30 p.m last Tuesday, when he was dismissed from school. Delgado's mother said she waited two days to file a missing person's report because her son ran away often. Parts of his body were found in 20-by-20 inch concrete blocks Saturday. Officers said they observed what appeared to be bone, flesh and a brown plastic trash bag embedded in the block, which was oozing blood. The blocks were about a half-mile away from each other. The Orange County Coroner's Office said the cause of death is believed to be asphyxiation, but further testing is being conducted. Police said officers followed a trail of concrete chips from the location of the first concrete block to a nearby residence. They initially arrested all seven people at the house, but six were released today after their alibis were verified and detailed statements were taken. Ghobrial's neighbors told reporters they were surprised to find out he was the prime suspect in the boy's killing because he only has one arm. Ghobrial's arraignment has been set for Tuesday at North Orange County Municipal Court in Fullerton. ---
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