Weapon in Albatros Slayings Was Pocket Knife

The weapon used to kill and outside a Lake Forest restaurant earlier this month was a pocket knife, authorities disclosed Tuesday.

The new detail came from the district attorney's office after accused killer Justin Alvin Maseo Tombleson appeared in court Monday in Santa Ana.

The 28-year-old Lake Forest man had been scheduled for a pretrial hearing, but it was postponed to July 15.

District attorney spokeswoman Farrah Emami declined to say whether authorities had the knife in their possession. Immediately after the slayings, sheriff's investigators theorized the weapon was "a large knife."

Tombleson has been held in the Men's Central Jail since surrendering to authorities June 13, two days after he allegedly murdered Kechechian and Saidian during an altercation at the 24-hour Albatros Mexican restaurant.

Through his attorney, George Vincent Vargas, Tombleson claimed during the 2 a.m. brawl.

while .  Kechechian was stabbed in the heart, and Saidian in the chest and arm, according to authorities.

Tombleson has pleaded not guilty to killing the Mission Viejo men, who had been celebrating Saidian's birthday earlier that evening.

Tombleson also faces sentencing enhancements for the personal use of a deadly weapon, causing great bodily injury, and a 2005 strike conviction for assault causing great bodily injury. If convicted, he faces up to 70 years to life in state prison.

According to witnesses, the dispute began inside the restaurant after Tombleson's girlfriend , leading to an argument with Kechechian, Saidian, Kechechian's brother and their friend.  At one point, the girlfriend allegedly hit Kechechian's brother, who responded by spitting on her, authorities said. The dispute escalated, and the woman called her boyfriend, Tombleson.

Owners of the restaurant asked the parties to leave, and it was in the parking lot that the fatal confrontation occurred near the victims' car.