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U.S. NEWS Saturday 21 OctOber 2017

Man who stabbed fellow students considers pleading guilty

By JOE MANDAK Feliciani would determine
Associated Press Hribal’s sentence, based
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A man on a presentence report on
charged with stabbing 20 Hribal’s background and
fellow students and a se- other factors.
curity guard at his subur- The defense acknowledg-
ban Pittsburgh high school es that Hribal committed
three years ago will spend the slayings and has unsuc-
the weekend considering cessfully sought to get him
whether to plead guilty, his declared legally insane.
attorney and a prosecutor District Attorney John Peck
said Friday. The develop- said he previously offered
ment grew out of a pretrial Hribal a 30- to 60-year pris-
hearing Friday in Westmo- on sentence in return for a
reland County for 20-year- guilty plea, but Hribal re-
old Alex Hribal, who was jected it. Hribal’s attorney
16 when he slashed his Patrick Thomassey con-
way through the hallways firmed Friday that his client
of Franklin Regional High was considering a guilty
School in Murrysville before plea, but he declined to
classes began on April 9, discuss details. Thomassey
2014. Four students were will advise the court of Hrib-
critically injured and one al’s decision on Monday,
required a liver transplant, and a plea hearing could In this Oct. 26, 2015 photo, Alex Hribal, right, is escorted to a bail hearing in Greensburg, Pa. Hribal
but all survived and have be scheduled for Tuesday. is charged as an adult with stabbing 20 fellow students and a security guard April 9, 2014, at his
since recovered. If not, Hribal’s trial will begin suburban Pittsburgh high school.
If Hribal enters a general Nov. 13. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
guilty plea next week to 21 Thomassey said last week purposely carried out the massacre but couldn’t be- been allowed to enter that
counts each of attempted that there was a “good attack on the birthday of cause school wasn’t in ses- plea, he would have begun
homicide and aggravated chance” the charges Columbine killer Eric Harris, sion that day, they said. a prison term in a mental
assault, plus a weapons would be resolved before whom Hribal “worshipped.” The judge in February re- hospital, then would have
charge, he’ll likely face de- trial. Psychiatrists for both Hribal first hoped to commit jected Hribal’s request to been transferred to prison if
cades in prison. Common the defense and prosecu- the attacks on the 15th an- plead guilty but mentally doctors ever deemed him
Pleas Judge Christopher tion have testified Hribal niversary of the Columbine ill to the crimes. Had Hribal cured. q

Murder-suicide seen in desert deaths of California couple

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. iff’s Department said in a missing July 28 when they began looking for the pair, so’s father, Gilbert Orbeso,
(AP) — A young couple statement. Autopsies found failed to return to a bed- and the next day the park was with searchers who
whose disappearance in both had gunshot wounds and-breakfast, whose own- requested help from the made the discovery.
the blazing summer heat of and evidence at the scene er believed they went hik- county Sheriff’s Depart- The Sheriff’s Department
Joshua Tree National Park led detectives to believe ing in the vast park sprawl- ment. said in its statement that
launched an urgent search Orbeso shot Nguyen and ing over more than 1,200 More than 250 searchers on deputies were flown to
died in a murder-suicide, then himself, the statement square miles of the Mojave the ground, on horseback, the area that afternoon
Southern California authori- said. and Colorado deserts 130 in aircraft and aided by and homicide investigators
ties said Friday. It did not suggest a motive miles east of Los Angeles. dog team spent nine days were summoned due to
Two bodies discovered but said Orbeso’s actions Later that day, the National scouring the rugged ter- suspicious circumstances
Sunday in a remote can- remained under investiga- Park Service rangers found rain. More than 10 suffered and visible injuries.
yon were identified as Or- tion. The bodies were found the couple’s car, unoccu- injuries before the search The bodies were removed
ange County residents in an embrace, authorities pied, near the Maze Loop was scaled back to small the next day and tak-
Rachel Nguyen, 20, and said earlier this week be- Trailhead. teams working weekends. en to the coroner’s of-
Joseph Orbeso, 22, the San fore formal identifications. The park’s search-and- The bodies were not found fice for identification and
Bernardino County Sher- The couple was reported rescue team immediately until Oct. 15. Joseph Orbe- investigation.q