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NewsMyNewsLAOctober 23, 2026Los Angeles County

Prosecution Nears End of Case in 2003 Cold Case Murder Trial of James Robert Landi

Photo: MyNewsLA

The prosecution is expected to rest its case next week in the first-degree murder trial of James Robert Landi, who is accused of fatally shooting an 18-year-old acquaintance in the San Bernardino National Forest in October 2003 over a financial dispute and stolen property. Landi, currently held without bail at the Byrd Detention Center, faces special-circumstance and weapon-enhancement allegations following his arrest last December by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Cold Case Unit.

Legal ProceedingsLaw EnforcementCrime
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Why It Matters

A long-standing 2003 homicide case in the San Bernardino National Forest is reaching the final stages of the prosecution's presentation at the Banning Justice Center, determining whether the evidence moves forward toward a verdict for the 44-year-old defendant.

Key Facts

  • The prosecution in the trial of James Robert Landi is expected to rest its case next week.
  • Landi, a 44-year-old resident of San Mateo, is charged with first-degree murder for the October 2003 death of 18-year-old Reynaldo Nino Burts.
  • The case includes a special-circumstance allegation of lying in wait, along with sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.
  • Landi is currently held without bail at the Byrd Detention Center.
  • According to the District Attorney’s office trial brief, the motive stemmed from a dispute over borrowed funds and missing items from the defendant's father's property.
  • Prosecutors allege Landi invited Burts and mutual acquaintance Oscar Celaya to the South Fork Trail in October 2003 under the guise of target shooting with a .22-caliber pistol.
  • The victim's decomposed remains were discovered on March 21, 2004, by a hiker near the South Fork Trail, leading to an autopsy confirming multiple gunshot wounds.
  • Initial investigations by the Central Homicide Unit did not yield sufficient grounds for charges due to conflicting details from witnesses.
  • The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Cold Case Unit reopened the investigation in August 2025, uncovering new evidence that led to Landi's arrest last December.

Who's Mentioned

locationHighway 74“Roadway near the location of the alleged incident”PersonReynaldo Nino Burts“18-year-old victim of the alleged 2003 murder”OrganizationByrd Detention Center“Correctional facility where Landi is held without bail”locationSouth Fork Trail“Hiking area near Highway 74 where the excursion took place”locationRiverside County“Jurisdiction where the defendant has no documented prior felony convictions”OrganizationBanning Justice Center“Courthouse where the prosecution summoned its first witnesses”locationIdyllwild“Geographic reference point near the trail”PersonJames Robert Landi“44-year-old defendant charged with first-degree murder”locationNorthern California“Region where Landi was arrested”OrganizationRiverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Cold Case Unit“Investigative unit that led to the defendant's arrest last December”OrganizationDistrict Attorney’s Office“Filed a trial brief detailing the prosecution's allegations”locationSan Mateo“Residence location of the defendant”locationMountain Center“Geographic reference point near the trail”locationSan Bernardino National Forest“Location where the 2003 crime allegedly occurred”OrganizationCentral Homicide Unit“Investigative unit that initially identified Landi as a person of interest”PersonOscar Celaya“Mutual acquaintance who allegedly accompanied the defendant and victim”