Man charged with torture in mother's fatal stabbing

<p>Sonoma County prosecutors are alleging a man charged with murdering his mother in September tortured her before he fatally stabbed her with kitchen shears and what was described as a "Roman knife."</p><p>Christopher Anthony Lavis, 41, made his first appearance in Sonoma County court since his arrest in San Francisco last week.</p><p>He was formally charged with murder and murder with the infliction of torture, a special circumstance charge that could trigger a death sentence. Prosecutors didn't say whether they will pursue the death penalty.</p><p>Lavis is accused of killing his mother, Connie LaSalle, 63, last month in her Stony Point Road condominium. Her body was found wrapped in blankets on Sept. 27, two weeks after friends and neighbors began to worry because they couldn't reach her by phone and hadn't seen her around the complex.</p><p>Police said she'd been stabbed multiple times.</p><p>LaSalle retired three years ago from her job as an operations specialist at Exchange Bank.</p><p>Lavis, who has a minor criminal history involving drugs, is being held without bail in Sonoma County Jail. On Wednesday, a public defender was appointed for him, and he was ordered to return to court Oct. 22 to enter a plea.</p>