Siege Suspect Facing 15 Felony Charges

Steven Livaditis was charged by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office with three counts of murder and 12 other felonies involving Monday’s siege of a swank Beverly Hills jewelry store, during which three people were killed, the district attorney’s office announced.

The 22-year-old Las Vegas man remained in the jail ward of County-USC Medical Center however, and his arraignment in Beverly Hills Municipal Court was postponed until next week because of what district attorney’s spokesman Al Albergate described as an “elevated” temperature and throat burns requiring that an air tube be inserted in his throat.

Livaditis inhaled fumes and suffered burns over his face, hands and neck fron concussion grenades lobbed late Monday by sheriff’s deputies to divert the suspect as he was attempting to escape from Van Cleef & Arpels with three hostages after a 13 1/2-hour siege.

The criminal complaint charges Livaditis with three counts of murder, four counts of robbery, five counts of false imprisonment and three counts of kidnapping. Albergate added that prosecutors will seek the death penalty for each of the murders.