32-year-old PCC nursing student slain in September

Franco Sui Yuan, Staff Writer

Former PCC nursing student Isaac Campbell pleaded not guilty in the slaying of one-time PCC student Liya Jessie Lu on Tuesday at the Alhambra Courthouse.

After Campbell entered his plea, Judge Carlos Uranga granted a postponement for the date for the preliminary hearing, which has been set for June 19.

“I was expecting [Public Defender James Duffy] to do so,” said Deputy District Attorney Steve Ipson. “The defendant wants to have time to go through everything and to get the basic evidence for the preliminary hearing.”

Lu’s family and close friends are upset with the prolongation of the case.
“I’m frustrated. It’s been nine months since she died, and they haven’t set a date for the preliminary hearing yet,” said Lu’s close friend William Moo. “But, I believe that justice will be done because the law is very thorough.”

Campbell is charged with first-degree murder – an unlawful killing that is both willful and premeditated – which could get him from 25 years to life in prison if he is found guilty, explained Ipson.

Campbell is also charge with transportation of marijuana.

Campbell’s mother and paternal grandparents were present during the arraignment.
Lu graduated from PCC with an Associate’s of Arts degree in Spring 2006 and was reapplying for the nursing program.

Her decomposing body was found in a trash can in Arcadia, covered with kitty litter to avoid any strange odors almost a month after her disappearance.

The first suspect in Lu’s death was Campbell, who at that time allegedly was involved in a relationship with her.

After a warrant was issued for his arrest, the Minneapolis Police Department’s Violent Apprehension Team detained Campbell in Minneapolis, Minn. after a short foot pursuit on Sept. 27.

He is being held at the Pitchess Detention Center East Facility with a bail of $1,275,000.