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Jury selection is slated to finish up Wednesday for the trial of a 25-year-old Escondido man accused of fatally stabbing his girlfriend at her Palm Desert apartment in 2019 — while her young

son was present. Richard Colin Holbrook of Escondido allegedly killed 33-year-old Nicole Henderson. He is charged with murder, child endangerment, and a sentence-increasing allegation of

using a deadly weapon — a knife — while committing a felony. The child endangerment count stems from the presence of Henderson’s 4-year-old son in the apartment at the time of the alleged

attack. The boy, whose name was not disclosed, was not injured. Riverside County Superior Court Judge Rene Navarro started jury selection last week at the Banning Justice Center, screening

prospects as to their availability and qualifications. The process is close to concluding, and opening statements are tentatively set for Thursday morning. Holbrook is being held in lieu of

$1 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside. According to sheriff’s investigators, on the afternoon of Oct. 27, 2019, the defendant and Henderson were involved in an unspecified

dispute at her apartment in the 45-200 block of Panorama Drive, south of Highway 111. As the two were in the living room of the residence, the defendant allegedly grabbed a knife and stabbed

her multiple times, according to prosecutors. The attack was reported to law enforcement immediately afterward; patrol deputies went to the apartment and discovered Henderson’s body.

Holbrook was identified as the alleged assailant at the scene. He was located a short time later less than a quarter mile from the apartment building and taken into custody without incident.

Holbrook has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County. In addition to the murder case, he has two unresolved assault cases that were filed during his time in jail,

awaiting trial. _City News Service contributed to this report._