A 73-year-old man has been charged with the strangulation deaths of three Southern California women in 1977. Authorities believe there are more victims.
Warren Luther Alexander of Diamondhead, Mississippi, made his first court appearance Thursday, but his arraignment on three counts of first-degree murder was deferred until Aug. 21, the Ventura County District Attorney's Office said Thursday.
“Today marks a significant step toward long-awaited justice for these three women, their families and their loved ones. While we can never erase the past, we are committed to ensuring that there are answers and accountability for such a heinous act,” Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said.
Furthermore, Nasarenko said that his team believes there are actually more victims, both in the state of California and in other areas.
“This investigation will continue and we will follow up on every lead that comes up. This case will not be closed,” he said.
Nasarenko said one thing that ensured his team could link Alexander to the three murders was “the presence of evidence that led to a DNA match.”
Alexander was extradited to California on Aug. 6 from Surry County, North Carolina, where he was awaiting trial in a 1992 murder case. Officials said all of the victims in California were sex workers. (you/her)
