Murder suspect pleads not guilty

A Corning man charged with murdering his live-in girlfriend has entered a plea of not guilty.

Steven Archangelo Piazza, 49, accused of beating to death Linda I. Griggs, appeared with his attorney, Diane L. Martin-Logan, in Tehama County Superior Court where he entered his plea Tuesday before Judge Richard Scheuler, said Tehama County District Attorney Gregg Cohen.

Piazza, who is being held in the Tehama County Jail without bail, is scheduled to appear in court at 1:30 p.m. on Jan. 26, for a preliminary hearing.

Police found Grigg’s body in the couple’s 1400 block Chicago Avenue home on Nov. 23, shortly after they received a 5:17 a.m. call from Piazza stating he feared he had killed his girlfriend, said Corning police Chief Tony Cardenas.

Cardenas said Griggs died between 3:30 and 4 a.m. from head wounds.

The autopsy report states Griggs died from blunt force injuries. Cohen reported. Police seized a weapon, but Cardenas would not identify it.

The couple’s 10-year-old daughter was asleep in the home at the time of the murder, but was with Piazza when he called police from a residence in Dairyville, said Cardenas.

Corning police, with assistance from the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office, arrived at the residence and took Piazza into custody without incident.

The 10-year-old girl was placed with Tehama County Child Protective Services. She is now in the custody of a relative.

Piazza was taken to the Corning Police Department were he was interviewed and arrested.

A motive for the death has not been released, but Cardenas said the killing may have been the result of an “ongoing issue” between Griggs and Piazza.

Cardenas said police had never previously been called to the couple’s home, and neighbors said they rarely heard any disturbances.

Griggs was a member of the support staff at Corning Union Elementary School District, where she worked for many years.