Two Huntington Beach suspects go to pretrial in Newport murder

Pre-trial hearings are set to begin Wednesday morning in the October killing of a Newport Beach man over a romantic relationship.

Derek Christopher Adams, 22, and Marissa Star Bilotti, 19, both of Huntington Beach are charged with stabbing Cody Masher to death in his home on Oct. 22, after breaking down the front door of Masher’s home to confront him about a relationship he was having with a woman Adams was interested in, according to an October news release from the Orange County district attorney’s office.

After killing Masher, the defendants are accused of stealing his cell phone, and taking money from Masher’s girlfriend’s purse. Adams is accused of using Masher’s cell phone throughout the day and sending text messages and pictures to Masher’s girlfriend, the statement said.

The two are also charged with first-degree residential robbery and being armed with a firearm during the commission of a robbery, according to court documents.

If Adams is convicted he faces up to 57 years in state prison. Bilotti faces up to 31 years in prison.

— Lauren Williams