Suspects in Pizza Killings to Be Arraigned Monday

A man and woman wanted in the murders of a Glendale pizza deliveryman and two other employees of the same restaurant chain in South Carolina will be arraigned Monday in Glendale after waiving extradition from Las Vegas, authorities said Friday.

Mitchell Carlton Sims, 25, and Ruby Padgett, 20, have been charged by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office with the Dec. 10 slaying of Domino’s Pizza deliveryman John Steven Harrigan, 21, whose body was discovered at a motel in downtown Glendale.

Sims also is accused of the Dec. 3 shooting deaths of two employees of a Domino’s outlet in Hanahan, S.C., where Sims worked as a deliveryman until about two weeks before the double murder. Police in Hanahan said Padgett is wanted for questioning in the deaths.

At a hearing in Las Vegas on Friday, the couple, who had previously indicated that they might resist extradition, agreed to return to California without a legal fight, authorities said.

Both suspects smiled frequently during the proceedings, with Sims mouthing the words “Hi, mom” toward television cameras as he entered the courtroom. At the end of the hearing, Sims leaned over and told Padgett: “See you, babe. I love you.”

Escorted by Glendale police detectives, Sims and Padgett were expected to be flown back to the Southland late Friday. Their arraignment is scheduled for Monday in Glendale Municipal Court, police said.

The two were arrested in the Nevada city early Christmas morning, after local police received a tip from a citizen who had recognized the suspects’ photographs from police reports. The red pickup truck stolen from Harrigan was found last weekend parked outside a Las Vegas casino.

In addition to the charge of murdering Harrigan, three allegations of special circumstances--torture, lying in wait and murder during a robbery--have been filed by the district attorney’s office against both Sims and Padgett. Those allegations could lead to the death penalty if the suspects are convicted.