Hearing Date to be Set for Lomita Man Charged With Killing Wife

A man who jumped from Rancho Palos Verdes cliffs in February and is now charged with murdering his missing wife is scheduled to receive his preliminary hearing date Wednesday.

David Viens, of Lomita, is charged with murdering his wife, Dawn, in October 2009.

Viens to the charges in late March.

Viens owned a Lomita restaurant his wife's body might have been hidden. The search in the finding of Dawn's remains.

Viens to investigators and his girlfriend he killed his wife, who has been missing for about 17 months.

"He did make statements implicating himself in the murder of Dawn," sheriff's homicide Lt. Dave Coleman said in a previous interview.

Viens near the 31500 block of Palos Verdes Drive West about 9:15 a.m. Feb. 23.

Authorities said they saw Viens and his girlfriend in an altercation near Point Vicente. When police ordered Viens to stop what they believed was an act of domestic violence, Viens released his girlfriend, ran, and jumped off of a nearby cliff, according to sheriff's officials.

Charged March 3 with murder, Viens' court appearance had been delayed by his injuries. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison, according to the District Attorney's Office.