Attorney: Pittsburg Stabbing Suspect's Daughter Was Drugged, Abused at Homicide Scene

The attorney for a father accused of stabbing another man multiple times in Pittsburg last week says his client's daughter was drugged and held at the location where the homicide occurred.

Criminal defense attorney Joseph Tully is representing 48-year-old Jimmy Lee Biles on Wednesday at his arraignment for the alleged murder of 49-year-old Albert Lea Jr. at a residence on Hermosa Avenue in Pittsburg on April 4.

Tully says Biles' 12-year-old daughter was lured away from home by a child sex trafficker, prompting him to notify Pittsburg police. The report was "largely ignored" by the police, the attorney says.

It wasn't immediately clear how long Biles' daughter was held at the location of the homicide. 

Police say they found Lea outside with multiple stab wounds to his torso. He was transported to John Muir Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Witnesses told investigators that the suspect had fled in a white sedan, and they were able to track it to Biles' home in Knightsen.

Biles was previously convicted of vehicular manslaughter, the Mercury News reported. But Tully says Biles has dedicated his time to being sober and lawful.

"At some point later that evening, a 12-year-old girl who had been drugged and repeatedly sexually abused was brought home," Tully said in a statement. He did not state what occurred in the process of bringing the girl home.

Lea's family spoke to NBC Bay Area at Biles' arraignment Wednesday, saying that the murder victim was a family man who was religious, and he had nothing to do with what Tully insinuated.

Tully says that Pittsburg police who are investigating the homicide "neglected, either negligently or intentionally, clear signs" of abuse, despite having her in their custody.

"Had the Pittsburg police conducted a proper investigation, they would have found that the girl was provided drugs, had used condoms [sic] her purse, as well as blood in the crotch area of her pants. This evidence is now most likely destroyed or unusable," Tully said.

Pittsburg Police Chief Brian Addington contended that officers "conducted a very thorough and complete investigation."

"The comments made by Mr. Biles' attorney are misguided and designed to minimize the brutal and senseless murder Mr. Biles stands charged of," Addington said in a statement Wednesday night.

Deputy District Attorney Aron DeFerrari, the prosecutor who filed the case against Biles, said Lea had nothing to do with Biles' daughter, calling Tully's claims "baseless as they are desperate."

Biles was charged with murder and use of a deadly weapon. He is being held at the Contra Costa County jail in Martinez on $2,190,000 million bail, according to police.

CORRECTION (April 10, 2019, 3:38 p.m. PST): The previous version of this story misstated the amount of bail.

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