Jury begins deliberations in DeSoto murder trial

Olathe A Johnson County jury Wednesday began deliberations in the trial of an Edwardsville man charged with first-degree murder in the Sept. 4, 2001, slaying of a DeSoto woman.

Jesse Guardado, 18, is on trial for the second time in three months for the shooting death of Melanie Oliver, 41, who was killed as she slept in her DeSoto home. A jury in January was unable to reach a verdict at the conclusion of Guardado’s first hearing.

Jurors were to reconvene for deliberations at 9 a.m. today.

Also charged with first-degree murder in Oliver’s death is Alfredo Arambula, 18, Kansas City, Kan. He is expected to enter a plea in May after he testifies against Guardado and his brother, Juan Crutchfield, 22, DeSoto, who also is charged with first-degree murder in Oliver’s death.

Crutchfield’s preliminary hearing on that charge is scheduled for Tuesday.

KU Web site offers panoramic campus view

Internet users can now take a virtual tour of Jayhawk Boulevard on Kansas University’s Web site.

The site, at www.virtualtour.ku.edu, allows viewers to see panoramic views of campus buildings as well as their interiors.

The site also includes historical information about Kansas University.

Geological field trip open for registration

The Kansas Geological Survey is organizing a field trip April 20 so participants can learn about rocks and fossils of south-central Kansas east of El Dorado.

The trip, which is a repeat of a trip in October, includes stops at Eureka City Lake, Toronto Lake and a quarry near Buffalo.

Topics include basic bedrock geology, molten rock and fossil-collecting.

The trip departs at 8:30 a.m. April 20 from East Park in El Dorado. The cost is $15 per person.

To register, contact Liz Brosius at 864-2063 or lbrosius@kgs.ku.edu, or Rex Buchanan at 864-2106 or rex@kgs.ku.edu.

For more information, go to www.kgs.ukans.edu/Extension/fieldtrips.html .

Holocaust film director to show work at KU

The director of a film about the Holocaust will show her movie and speak next month at Kansas University.

Martha Lubell, director of “Daring to Resist,” will speak at 7 p.m. April 24 in Woodruff Auditorium of the Kansas Union.

Her film depicts three teen-age girls who fought back against the Nazis.

The event is sponsored by the KU Hillel Foundation. For more information, call 749-5397.