MOORPARK, Calif. – Elsworth Cadle, a 71-year-old resident of Moorpark, California, is facing a retrial for the first-degree murder charge in the fatal shooting of his brother-in-law, Mark Milton, at a local storage facility four years ago. The decision for a retrial was made on February 14 after the jury informed the judge that they were unable to reach a verdict regarding Cadle’s culpability in the case. Despite the defense’s request for dismissal of the murder charge, the court rejected the motion, paving the way for a new trial.
Cadle, who has been in jail with a bail set at $3 million, is scheduled to appear for his trial on September 3, 9 a.m. at the Ventura County Superior Court. The allegations against Cadle include the use of a firearm. He has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and is being represented by the Public Defender’s Office.
The incident occurred on January 3, 2020, when Milton, a 64-year-old Moorpark resident, was found dead in the driver’s seat of a U-Haul truck at a Public Storage facility on Los Angeles Avenue. Multiple 9-1-1 calls had reported gunfire, leading to a search for the suspect who initially evaded authorities. Cadle, who was 67 at the time and had worked as a bus driver for the City of Simi Valley, was arrested after a nine-hour operation near Moorpark College, and a firearm was found during the investigation.
According to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, the shooting is believed to have resulted from a previous disagreement and was targeted in nature. While 10 jurors initially leaned toward a guilty verdict on first-degree murder, with two voting not guilty, the deliberations ultimately reached a deadlock, resulting in a mistrial declared by Judge Anthony Sabo.
Both the prosecution and defense agreed to proceed with the retrial, as a new date was set for September. Meanwhile, Milton, an electrician known for his volunteer work and dedication to construction projects, is remembered fondly by friends and family. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support his family, describing him as a spiritual individual with exceptional morals who would do anything to help others.