The man arrested for the Dec. 24, 2023 sledgehammer attack of a woman on campus faced the judge for the second time at the Torrance Municipal Court on Wednesday, March 6 for a preliminary hearing.

The hearing lasted about three minutes. Jeffery Davis, who is charged with murder in the killing of a 65-year-old Japanese woman, arrived in court in a blue prison jumpsuit with hands cuffed.

The judge, Thomas Sokolov, set the next preliminary hearing for May 15.

Both the prosecution and defense attorneys said they are still gathering evidence for the case. Walter Quintero, the deputy district attorney, said he is waiting on the results of the autopsy and other evidence.

Public defense attorney Murrey Correa said they are investigating everything to “make sure the truth comes out.”

Davis pleaded not guilty to the murder charges against him under California Penal Code section 187 during his arraignment on Jan. 17.

Davis, a 40-year-old transient, is facing charges of murder for the death of Junko Hanafusa.

Hanafusa was walking her dog and collecting recyclables on campus when she was attacked with a sledgehammer near the El Camino College Gymnasium on Dec. 24, 2023. She died the next day at a local hospital.

According to a Dec. 27, 2023 press release by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Information Bureau, officers identified the attacker as Davis.

After police identified Davis through security camera footage outside the Gymnasium, they found and arrested him at Alondra Park near campus a few hours after the attack.