Evil Unemployed IT Worker of the Week

"Christopher Anthony Lavis, 42, has pleaded not guilty to murder, torture and other charges that trigger a life-without-parole sentence or capital punishment. He is to appear in court in February for a preliminary hearing.

"Investigators believe Lavis repeatedly stabbed his mother, Connie LaSalle, and tortured her with kitchen shears and what prosecutors have described only as a `Roman knife.` LaSalle's body was found wrapped in five blankets in the living room on Sept. 27, two weeks after friends began to worry about her because they couldn't reach her.

"After his arrest, Lavis admitted to Santa Rosa police Detective Mark Mahre that he killed his mother because she didn't want him staying with her any longer, according to court documents....

"Lavis is an unemployed computer technician who had a minor criminal history linked to drug use. He had stayed with his mother off and on for years, friends said...

"Lavis graduated from high school in Santa Rosa and attended classes at Santa Rosa Junior College before earning an associate degree in computer operations from the Computer Learning Center of San Francisco.

"He worked at National Bank of the Redwoods from 1998 to 2004, designing the bank's original Web site and helping troubleshoot computer problems for employees. Later, he worked short stints at several companies, including Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates, Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital and Barclays Global Investors."

The the Press Democrat...