JURY FINDS MAN GUILTY OF 4 KILLINGS: MARIN (AP) — A jury on Tuesday found a former photographer guilty of murdering four young California women after a two-month trial in which prosecutors called him a remorseless serial killer who preyed on young prostitutes decades ago.
The jury of six men and six women in Marin County Superior Court deliberated for about eight hours over two days before finding Joseph Naso, 79, guilty of killing the women with alliterative names: Roxene Roggasch in 1977, Carmen Colon in 1978, Pamela Parsons in 1993 and Tracy Tafoya in 1994.
The same jury will reconvene Sept. 4 for the penalty phase of the trial. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
All the victims were found dumped in rural Northern California locations.
Naso was arrested in 2010 after probation officers visiting his Reno, Nev., home in connection with an unrelated gun conviction discovered a macabre dwelling with incriminating evidence.
Investigators found numerous photographs of nude women posed in unnatural positions who appeared dead or unconscious with mannequin parts and women's lingerie strewn about nearby. Investigators said they also found a "List of 10" that Naso had scrawled with descriptions of 10 women, including four references prosecutors believe described the slaying victims in the case against him.
Prosecutors said Naso drugged and photographed his unconscious victims then strangled them and dumped their naked bodies in rural areas.
ELDERLY OAKLAND MAN KILLS DISABLED DAUGHTER, SELF: OAKLAND (AP) — Oakland police say an elderly man has shot to death his disabled daughter and then himself.
Police tell the San Francisco Chronicle that 88-year-old William Roberts shot 58-year-old Marian Roberts in her bedroom before dawn on Monday, then took his own life.
The woman has been a quadriplegic since falling down some stairs and suffering brain damage in 1987.
Her father suffered from liver cancer and progressive lung disease. Robert's son, Tom Roberts, says his father had been worried about his ability to continue caring for his daughter.
POLICE: SURF INSTRUCTOR SOUGHT SEX WITH GIRLS: SANTA CRUZ (AP) — A Santa Cruz surf instructor has been arrested on suspicion of seeking sex with underage girls and secretly recording them in changing rooms.
The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports that 28-year-old Dylan Greiner was arrested by Santa Cruz police on suspicion of two felony counts of lewd acts with children.
He is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.
Santa Cruz Deputy Police Chief Steve Clark says federal charges could also be filed against Greiner after former students from New York and other areas called with concerns.
Police say Greiner began relationships with two girls, 13 and 14, who he met through his business, Santa Cruz Surf School.
Investigators also determined that Greiner had secretly recorded girls changing into wetsuits at his shop.
RARE FIN WHALE FOUND DEAD ON STINSON BEACH: STINSON BEACH (AP) — A rare fin whale that washed ashore has died despite attempts from marine mammal experts to save it, and now the beach has been closed after a shark sighting.
Stinson Beach fire officials said Tuesday that the Marin County beach will be closed to the public for five days after several Monday sightings of the 10-15 foot white shark.
Also Monday, the 42-foot whale calf died a day after it was discovered alive with bloody scratches on its underside.
Once large whales beach, they have trouble breathing due to organ compression.
Whale experts tell the San Francisco Chronicle that the cause of its stranding could be fishing gear entanglement, a boat strike or separation from its mother.
It's not clear whether the shark's appearance was related to the whale.
