GRAND HAVEN, MI (WHTC) – An effort by a convicted murderer to withdraw his guilty plea was rejected by Ottawa County Circuit Court Judge Ed Post on Friday.
Anthony Delagarza claimed that his trial attorney provided ineffective assistance of counsel in leading him to agree with a plea deal by which he testified against co-conspirator Maryann Castorena in the death of Jose Hernandez at a Park Township apartment complex parking lot in January of 2014. The 21-year-old Holland man is serving between 20 and 40 years in prison for second-degree murder, while the 41-year-old Castorena, who was the beneficary of a life insurance policy by her ex-boyfriend Hernandez, was convicted of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Judge Post ruled that there was no evidence to substantiate Delargarza’s claims. It was not immediately known if Delagarza will seek to appeal Post’s decision.
