Yuba County man will face trial in tree branch beating death

A Yuba County man was ordered to stand trial on Friday in the beating death of a man with a tree branch.

David Leroy Osbourn is charged with murder and assault with a deadly weapon in the Oct. 10 beating of Stephen Gilbert Jr., 39, authorities said.

Prosecutors initially charged Osbourn with manslaughter, however, it was changed to murder after Friday's preliminary hearing in Yuba County Superior Court. He pleaded not guilty.

"I want justice for my son," said Anna Gilbert, the victim's mother. "I'm glad they changed it."

Osbourn remains in custody without bail at the Yuba County Jail. He is scheduled to appear again March 25 for arraignment.

Authorities said Osbourn and another woman intervened in a fight between Gilbert and a woman in the 1600 block of Hammonton-Smartsville Road.

Multiple law enforcement investigators said they believe Gilbert was armed with a knife. Gilbert's family has disputed claims he was armed.

"We won't know if he was armed until everything comes out," Anna Gilbert said. "As far as I know, he didn't have any knife."

Prosecutors said Osbourn kept beating Gilbert with the branch after Gilbert was disarmed and laying on the ground. Gilbert died six days later at Rideout Memorial Hospital in Marysville.

Osbourn was arrested shortly after the incident along with his girlfriend, Dusty Younger.

Yuba County sheriff's deputies said Younger also beat Gilbert with her purse. Prosecutors, however, said there was not enough evidence to charge Younger and she was released.

Osbourn's most recent criminal conviction in Yuba County came in 2011 when he pleaded guilty to attempted burglary and served less than a year in the county jail.

CONTACT Rob Parsons at rparsons@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4785. Find him on Facebook at /ADcrimebeat or on Twitter at @ADcrimebeat.