Innocent Plea in Torrance Slaying

An Oregon man has pleaded not guilty to charges that he sexually assaulted and shot a Torrance woman and then killed her husband, who had walked in on the attack.

Randy Eugene Garcia, 22, entered his plea Monday during his arraignment before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James A. Bascue. A pretrial hearing before Judge Jacqueline Connor has been scheduled for Oct. 5 to determine if prosecutors have gathered evidence for Garcia to stand trial.

The district attorney’s office may seek the death penalty, Deputy Dist. Atty. David Conn said.

Garcia was arrested in Oregon four days after the May 8 attack on Joseph Finzel and his wife, Lynn. Last June, Garcia was charged with murder, attempted murder, oral copulation, burglary and robbery.

Garcia allegedly broke into the Finzels’ home on 180th Place, tied Lynn Finzel to a water bed and assaulted her. When her husband returned home and walked into the bedroom, Garcia shot him, authorities said.

Garcia then shot Lynn Finzel, who played dead as water from the punctured water bed welled around her head. As he left the room, Garcia shot Joseph Finzel again, killing him, authorities said. Lynn Finzel survived but was severely wounded, Conn said.

Garcia has said he is the victim of mistaken identity, and he used that claim to delay his extradition from Oregon. He was returned to California on Aug. 24.