Normal Heights Slayings Added : Lucas Charged With Three More Murders

David Allen Lucas, already accused of three throat-slash slayings, was charged with three more murders Wednesday by the district attorney’s office. But his arraignment on the new charges was delayed until Friday so lawyers for the media can respond to defense motions to exclude the press and public.

The new charges against Lucas allege that he killed Suzanne Camille Jacobs, 31, and her son Colin, 3, in their Normal Heights home on May 4, 1979. The district attorney’s office also charged Lucas with killing real estate saleswoman Gayle Robert Garcia in Spring Valley on Dec. 8, 1981. Prosecutors said that in each of the six killings, the victim’s throat was cut with such force that the head was nearly decapitated.

Kentucky drifter Johnny Massingale had been charged with the Jacobs’ murders. He was later cleared of the charges and released.

Municipal Court Judge Laura Palmer Hammes continued the arraignment until Friday after William Saunders, Lucas’ public defender, entered several motions designed to hold the arraignment in secret.

In the past, the press and public have been excluded from preliminary hearings. But rarely have arraignments been held in secret.

In addition to excluding the press and public, Saunders has asked for a gag order on the new case; the exclusion of television cameras; and requests for Lucas to appear at the arraignment in civilian clothes and without shackles.

Hammes declined to rule on the motions until she hears arguments from attorneys for the media, who will argue that the hearing should remain open to the press and public.

Saunders said that he asked for the restrictions because he was concerned that Lucas would be prejudiced by extended media coverage.

Earlier this month, Lucas was ordered to stand trial for the October murders in Lakeside of Rhonda Strang, 24, and Amber Fisher, the 3-year-old child she was baby-sitting. He will also be tried at the same time for the November killing of Anne Catherine Swanke, 22, a University of San Diego honor student, and the June kidnaping and attempted murder of Jody Santiago, 30.

Santiago, who lives in Seattle, Wash., survived a slashed throat after she was abducted from the parking lot of an El Cajon nightclub.

Lucas is represented by private defense attorney G. Anthony Gilham in the first three killings. The public was barred from attending the preliminary hearing in that case. Deputy Dist. Atty. Dan Williams, who is prosecuting Lucas in the first case, will prosecute him on the new charges too.