The first suspect within the string of violent robberies that hit 7-Eleven shops earlier this month might be charged with three counts of homicide, native authorities mentioned Monday. The charging announcement comes after two folks had been killed and three others had been wounded within the early-morning robberies on July 11.
Orange County District Legal professional Todd Spitzer mentioned 20-year-old Malik Patt is dealing with a slew of costs and particular enhancements, together with three felony counts of homicide with the particular circumstance of a number of homicide and two counts of tried homicide with the private discharge of a firearm inflicting damage. He's additionally dealing with theft and carjacking costs.
These costs embody the 7-Eleven assaults in addition to the homicide of a homeless man two days earlier. Police say Patt fatally shot the person within the head whereas he was sleeping in North Hills in Los Angeles County.
If convicted, Patt may face the loss of life penalty or life with out parole.
"Malik Patt is a stone chilly serial killer, there isn't any different approach to describe him," Spitzer mentioned. "He executed harmless folks and he shot others, and his conduct and the crime spree he engaged in is - actually I simply received chills up my very own backbone - It is chilling."
The second suspect, 44-year-old Jason Payne, was charged with three counts of theft and one depend of tried theft, Spitzer mentioned. He mentioned Payne was Patt's neighbor and that the pair had a "vital kinship," however didn't elaborate.
On Friday authorities introduced the pair had been arrested following the string of armed robberies that passed off over a five-hour time span final week at six 7-Eleven shops.
The victims included 40-year-old Matthew Hirsch, a 7-Eleven clerk who was shot and killed at a Brea retailer, and 24-year-old Matthew Rule, who was shot and killed within the car parking zone of a 7-Eleven retailer in Santa Ana after making an attempt to cease the suspect from robbing one other particular person, Santa Ana Police Chief David Valentin mentioned.