Ex-Marine Convicted In 5 Southland Serial Killings: COURT

MISSION VIEJO, CA — A former Marine was convicted Wednesday for murdering five women in Southern California. His rampage began with a young Saddleback College student who was killed in Mission Viejo in 1986. Andrew Urdiales, 53, faces a possible death sentence for his Southern California killing spree, which also left women dead in San Diego, Palm Springs and Cathedral City between 1988 and 1995.

The former Camp Pendleton Marine focused on a college student one night in Mission Viejo when he chased Robbin Brandley down a hill at Saddleback College, then brutally stabbed her 41 times, prosecutors said during the early stages of the trial.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Eric Scarbrough described the murder scene to jurors, saying that Urdiales told investigators that he turned Brandley over so he could "stare at her face as he killed her." Scarbrough also shared with the jury Urdiales's own words on why he selected Brandley as a victim: "It could have been anybody. And that's the reason Robbin Brandley had to die."

An attorney for now 53-year-old Andrew Urdiales told the jury his client is the product of a tortured childhood that included regular beatings, first from his parents and later from bullies who would torment him daily. His attorney also described that Urdiales suffered from fetal alcohol syndrome.

Urdiales was convicted in a previous trial in the murders of three Illinois women, all prostitutes. He was originally sentenced to death in that state, but he was re-sentenced to life in prison after capital punishment was outlawed in Illinois. His trial in Santa Ana will now move to a penalty phase, when jurors will recommend if he should be sentenced to life in prison or death.

Orange County jurors found true the special circumstance allegation of lying in wait, making Urdiales eligible for the death penalty.

Friends and relatives of the victim have remained in the courtroom during the trial, including Brandley's father, Jack Reilly, who has kept a blog on his daughter's murder case.

"The evidence is overpowering in all five murders. His life in prison will be lonely, forgotten, useless, death awaits him either by capital punishment or by prison yard justice, or suicide. Whichever is satisfactory to me," Brandley's father, Jack Reilly, said on his blog www.whomurderedrobbinbrandley.com.

Jurors began deliberating about 4 p.m. Thursday, but then got off to a late start Monday when a panelist had to be replaced. The jury began again at 11 a.m. Monday and reached verdicts about 3:30 Tuesday afternoon.

Urdiales was convicted of killing:

• 23-year-old Robbin Brandley on January 18, 1986, in Mission Viejo;
• 29-year-old Julie McGhee on July 17, 1988, in Cathedral City;
• 31-year-old Maryann Wells on Sept. 25, 1988, in San Diego;
• 20-year-old Tammie Erwin on April 16, 1989, in Palm Springs;
• 32-year-old Denise Maney on March 11, 1995, in Palm Springs.

This is a developing report. Please refresh this page for the latest information.

Related Story:

Orange County Serial Murder Trial Continues

Serial Killer Urdiales to be Sent to Orange County

City News Service contributed to this report.

Photo: OCSD Photo, Patch File Photo, courtesy family of Robbin Brandley