Death penalty to be sought for serial killer

The Orange County district attorney's office said Tuesday that it would seek the death penalty for a serial killer, convicted of slaying three women in Illinois, who is charged with murdering five women in Southern California, including one from Laguna Beach.

Andrew Urdiales, 47, is charged with killing women in Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties from 1986 to 1995. He is charged with having sex with some of the victims before stabbing them multiple times or shooting them, the Orange County district attorney's office said.

On Jan. 18, 1986, Robbin Brandley, 23, of Laguna Beach, was walking to her car at Saddleback College after a jazz concert when Urdiales allegedly followed her and stabbed her 41 times in her hands, back, chest and neck, and then fled the scene.

Urdiales was convicted of the Illinois murders in 2002 and 2004 and was sentenced to death, authorities said, but his sentence was commuted to life without parole.

He was in the Marines from 1984 to 1991 and stationed at bases in Southern California.

During that time, he allegedly killed four women — Brandley, two in Riverside County and one in San Diego County. Those cases were consolidated in Orange County.

After his discharge, Urdiales moved back to Illinois but allegedly returned to California in 1995 and killed a fifth woman while on vacation in Palm Springs, according to prosecutors.

Urdiales is scheduled for an arraignment Dec. 1 at the Central Justice Center in Santa Ana.

Joanna Clay contributed to this report.