Man Pleads Not Guilty To Murdering 77-Year-Old Mother, Dumping Body In Alley

PASADENA (CBSLA.com) — A Burbank man pleaded not guilty Thursday to strangling his 77-year-old mother to death and then dumping her body in an alley near their apartment.

Police arrested 40-year-old Moises Diaz after finding his mother, Maria Huezo-Diaz, dead Monday morning. She was wrapped in blankets in the south alley of the 4000 block of West Victory Boulevard.

Someone had called 911 to report that they'd seen someone sleeping there.

An autopsy performed by the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office found the woman died from "asphyxia by neck compressions," according to Burbank police.

Diaz was arrested Monday night. He remains jailed on $1 million bail.

The defendant is due back at the Pasadena courthouse Feb. 4, where they'll schedule a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to require him to stand trial.

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