Golden State Killer Suspect Faces Slew of New Charges

Charges are piling up for Joseph James DeAngelo Jr., the suspected Golden State Killer. In addition to 13 counts of murder, DeAngelo will face 13 charges of kidnapping to commit robbery, prosecutors announced Tuesday. The 72-year-old will be tried in Sacramento County, the Los Angeles Times reports. The announcement of the new charges and trial venue were made during a press conference in Orange County. Prosecutors from Contra Costa, Sacramento, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura counties—all jurisdictions where DeAngelo allegedly committed crimes—were also on hand. DeAngelo, a former police officer, is believed to be responsible for a series of murders, rapes, and burglaries committed decades ago. He was arrested in April.

The prosecutors from Northern, Central, and Southern California "stand united" on "team justice," Sacramento DA Anne Marie Schubert said, according to ABC. If convicted, DeAngelo, who is being held in Sacramento and has yet to enter a plea, is eligible for the death penalty, but prosecutors have not decided whether to pursue it, per the LA Times. He will be arraigned on all of the charges on Thursday, reports the New York Times, which notes that it is unusual for charges from so many jurisdictions to be tried at a single trial. (More Golden State Killer stories.)