Man who dumped body near Pontiac in 1996 convicted of 5 more killings

Posted on May 24, 2018

Andrew Urdiales, 53, has been convicted of killing eight women. (Illinois Department of Corrections)

By Eric Stock

A convicted serial killer who murdered a woman and dumped her body in the Vermillion River near Pontiac in 1996 has been found guilty of the murders of five women in Southern California two decades ago.

The Associated Press reports an Orange County grand jury convicted Andrew Urdiales on Wednesday for murder. The Chicago native attacked a volunteer usher after a college piano concert, picked up four prostitutes, drove them to deserted areas, had sex with them and then killed them.

The 53-year-old former Marine has now been convicted of killing eight women. Jurors decide on Thursday whether Urdiales should get the death penalty or life without parole.

He was convicted in 2004 of shooting and stabbing Cassie Corum, 21, of Hammon, Ind. and dumping her body in the Vermillion River.

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