Family Plans Appeal After Teen Found Responsible For Murder Of Leila Fowler
VALLEY SPRINGS (CBS13) — The family of a Valley Springs teen is speaking out after a judge found their son responsible for the death of his 8-year-old sister.
Isiah Fowler has been behind bars since his May 2013 arrest.
The judge on Tuesday said he couldn't ignore the science, including Leila's blood found on two knifes from the Fowler kitchen believed to be the murder weapons.
Leila Fowler, 8, was stabbed dozens of times in April of 2013 inside her Valley Springs home.
Her brother, who was 12 at the time, was the only one at home with her. He called 911 saying an intruder attacked Leila, but investigators were suspicious of his story.
His family has stood by the teen.
"I said if you have evidence, arrest him; here he is," said Barney Fowler. "But you have to convince me. They haven't done that."
His attorneys say the sheriff's office still investigating unknown DNA.
"A fresh deposit of DNA found on her body the day she was murdered and they're testing that currently against potential suspects," said Mark Reichel.
But the judge said Isiah changed shirts that day and gave statements that didn't make sense.
Under California law, Isiah could not be charged as an adult. If he's given the maximum sentence, he wouldn't return to his family until he was 23.
"I worried how he'd recover from two-and-a-half years so I don't know how eight years will hurt him," Barney Fowler said.
