66 Mountain View News Saturday, March 14, 2026 66 Mountain View News Saturday, March 14, 2026 
MAN ORDERED TO REMAIN 
JAILED WITHOUT BAIL IN WIFE'S 
DEATH

 (CNS) - A man who is charged with murder and arson inconnection with his wife's death at their San Marino home was ordered 
today to remain jailed without bail.

 Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Sean D. Coen rejected 
a request by Yoon ``Kevin'' Lai's new attorney, Alan Jackson, to 
change his client's no-bail status and to return it to $2.25 million --
the same bond amount on which the defendant had been free until 
the prosecution added two new special circumstance allegations at 
the end of a hearing in January. Lai, 62, is charged with the Jan. 
6, 2025, death of his 56-year-old wife, Irene Gaw-Lai, a doctor with 
whom he had twin teenage sons.

 In arguing for bail to be set again at $2.25 million, the defense attorney 
told the judge, ``He's going to stay with his family and he's 
going to fight these false charges.''

 Jackson contended that there was no evidence that a divorce for 
the couple was inevitable or that their marriage was beyond reconciliation. 
Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott countered that 
the divorce was still pending at the time of the woman's death and 
that she had never withdrawn the petition. ``This was an ambush, 
plain and simple,'' he said, noting that Gaw-Lai was killed while she 
was alone in the home and that the defendant knew her routine and 
``exploited it.''

 Lai -- whom the defense attorney described as a stroke victim who 
walks with a cane --was ordered to be taken into custody without 
bail Jan. 13 after the prosecution added the special circumstance 
allegations of murder for financial gain and murder while lying in 
wait. He had been free on a $2.25 million bond posted less than a 
week after his first court appearance.

 At Lai's first court appearance last year, Assistant Head DeputyDistrict Attorney Habib Balian told a judge authorities are alleging 
that Lai beat his wife to death and then tried to cover it up by setting 
the house on fire.

 The prosecutor said the two had experienced ``some marital discord,'' 
telling the judge that cellular site data and surveillance video 
suggests the defendant was at the home shortly before the blaze. 
Lai's then-attorney, James Tedford, countered that the county medical 
examiner's office has listed the woman's cause of death as ``undetermined.'' 
Tedford said then that there were electrical issues at 
the home, saying that ``more than likely we have an electrical fire.''

In testimony during the hearing, a Los Angeles County sheriff 's arson 
investigator who reviewed the evidence testified that ``someone 
intentionally set this fire'' and noted that was also the conclusion of 
the original investigator, who was among three people killed in an 
unrelated explosion last year.

 Tedford asked the judge to dismiss the charges, saying he did notbelieve they had been proven. He argued that he didn't think the 
testimony was sufficient to ``rule out an electrical fire.''

Bott countered that Lai's wife had filed for divorce in 2024 and the 
defendant was aware of what a divorce would cost him financially, 
with the prosecutor calling it a ``financially motivated murder'' by 
the ``only person who could have started'' two fires that were confined 
to the den in the family's home.

 Jocelyn Gaw testified that her younger sister had filed twice fordivorce and had accused her husband of having an affair, and had 
not withdrawn her divorce petition despite her husband agreeing 
to revoke a prenuptial agreement that was one of the conditions if 
the two were to reconcile. She said she is now the guardian of the 
couple's two sons.

 The couple's next-door neighbor, Caroline ``Connie'' Chappell 
Morris, testified that she initially observed what she thought was 
steam and later determined was a small stream of brown smoke 
coming from a portion of the house after she returned from the 
park, where she had been walking with a friend. She said she saw 
Lai ``peering out the door'' and heard him ask, ``What's going on?'' 
``I say to him, `Your house is on fire' and pointed to the back,'' she 
testified. She said Lai questioned where his wife was since her car 
was still there and she was supposed to pick up their sons, telling the 
judge that he eventually said he had to leave and pick them up while 
his wife was still missing. She said he subsequently returned without 
his sons, who showed up later.

 In a statement released shortly after the case was filed, DistrictAttorney Nathan Hochman said, ``The violent death of Dr. Irene 
Gaw-Lai is heartbreaking and deeply disturbing. She was not only a 
respected physician and business leader, but a mother who deserved 
safety and dignity in her home. We will not rest until the person responsible 
for this senseless tragedy is held fully accountable.'' 

City News Service, Inc. 


SUPERVISOR BARGER SPOTLIGHTS WEEKLY FIRE 
RECOVERY JOB FAIRS TO HELP WILDFIRE SURVIVORS 
GET BACK ON THEIR FEET 

LA County's America’s Job Centers of California Host “Fire Recovery Thursdays” Weekly, Offering 
Immediate Job Opportunities, No-Cost Training, and Supportive Services 

Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger is highlighting a key resource for wildfire survivors. Fire Recovery Thursdays 
are weekly recruitment pop-ups held every Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at America’s Job Centers of California 
(AJCCs) countywide. Organized by the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity, the events connect workers 
and job seekers impacted by the January 2025 Wildfires with immediate job opportunities, career training, and supportive 
services. 

Fire Recovery Thursdays are held at all 18 AJCC locations across Los Angeles County. In Altadena, the local AJCC is located 
at 464 West Woodbury Road, Suite 210, Altadena, CA 91001. To find the nearest center near you, visit ajcc.lacounty.
gov/ajcc or call (888) 226-6300. 

“Eaton Fire survivors are facing challenges that most of us can hardly imagine,” said Supervisor Kathryn Barger. “They’ve 
lost homes, livelihoods, and a sense of stability all while navigating one of the most difficult economic climates in recent 
memory. These Fire Recovery Thursday pop-ups can be a lifeline. I encourage anyone who was impacted by the Los Angeles 
Wildfires to come out and let our teams help connect you with opportunities.” 

At each event, AJCC staff provide one-on-one support to help job seekers explore career pathways and access hiring and 
training services, including eligibility screening and enrollment assistance for the Fire Recovery & Resilience Workforce 
Program. 

Eligible participants may access temporary job opportunities lasting three to five months starting at $20 per hour, no-cost 
job training in high-demand industries, and a range of supportive services. 

Attendees should bring a valid photo ID, such as a U.S. Driver’s License, other government-issued ID, or passport, along 
with work authorization documents such as a Social Security Card, U.S. Birth Certificate, Permanent Resident Card (Form 
I-551), or Employment Authorization Document (Form I-700). A full list of acceptable documents is available at bit.ly/
I9WorkDocs. A resume is helpful but not required. Job seekers are also encouraged to create a profile on CalJOBS in advance 
at caljobs.ca.gov. 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra 


NEWS BRIEFS 

LA COUNTY LAUNCHES SURVEY 
ON RECOVERY FROM 
EATON, PALISADES FIRES

 Los Angeles County officials Friday launched 
a public survey seeking feedback from residents 
affected by the Eaton and Palisades fires 
as part of a review of the county's recovery 
and repopulationefforts. 

The survey is part of an independent after-
action review being conducted by the 
McChrystal Group examining the county's 
response following the windstorm-driven 
wildfires, according to the county.

 County officials are asking for input 
from residents who evacuated during the 
fires, experienced property damage, used 
disaster shelters or sought debris removal 
or other recovery services.

 Officials said they also want to hear from 
people with access or functional needs, 
residents who attempted to volunteer or 
donate, individuals who sought information 
about someone in county custody 
and people who were unhoused when the 
fires broke out.

 Residents who were not directly impacted 
by the fires are also encouraged to 
participate and share observations about 
the county's response.

 County officials said the survey takes 
less than 10 minutes to complete and responses 
will be anonymized and used to 
help improve future disaster recovery and 
repopulation operations.

 Combined, the fires in Pacific Palisades 
and Altadena that erupted on Jan. 7, 2025, 
killed at least 31 people, destroyed some 
16,000 structures and displaced thousands 
of residents.

 The survey will remain open through 
April 24.

 Residents can access it online at 
selfserve.decipherinc.com/survey/
selfserve/2a8c/260109. 

Additional information 
about previous after-action reviews is 
available at lacounty.gov/aar/. 

CAL FIRE AERIAL FIREFIGHTING HELITACK 
CAPTAIN ACADEMY TRAINING 
FLIGHTS AT FOLSOM LAKE 

Over the next two days, Folsom 

personnel on the ground practicing real-
Lake will serve as the training 

world scenarios. All training operations 
ground for the CAL FIRE He-

are FAA-approved and adhere to safetylitack Captain Academy. This 

regulations to ensure the well-being of 
threshold course marks a pivot-

the public and our crews. 
al moment for company officers 

Why This Training Matters

as they transition into one of the 
most dynamic and high-risk roles in the 

To prepare a new Helitack Captain for 

department. 

the "left seat," CAL FIRE must simulate 
the challenging live fire environment as

The Mission: What is Helitack? 

closely as possible. In these high-stakes

Like a fire engine delivers firefighters to 

environments, these officers monitor

a blaze and supports them with water, a 

multiple radio channels and communi-

CAL FIRE FIREHAWK helicopter does 

cate with ground crews and other aircraft

the same from the sky. 

simultaneously. 
In a typical mission, a Front Seat He-

By testing these leaders in a live-action

litack Captain sits in the front left seat 

setting before they face an actual wild-

coordinating with the pilot in the right, 

fire, we ensure they possess the split-

while the crew is staged in the back. 

second decision-making and communi-

Upon arrival—often in terrain inacces


cation skills required to keep our crews

sible to engines—the crew deploys to the 

and communities safe.

ground to fight the fire head-on, while 
the helicopter provides immediate over-

CAL FIRE appreciates the public's sup-

head support with water drops. 

port as we prepare our Helitack Captains 
for this high-risk role.

What the Public Can Expect 

To learn more about the CAL FIRE

Residents near Folsom Lake should be 

Aviation Program please visit us at

prepared for increased aerial activity 

https://www.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/

from March 13–15, as CAL FIRE heli


fire-protection/aviation-program

copters and airtankers operate daily from 

8:00 a.m. to approximately 5:00 p.m. 
To see more of what we do, follow us on 

While there is no live fire, the communi-

Instagram @calfireairops 

ty may see simulated smoke and trained 


Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 
Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com