Jury convicts Arizona man of 9 murders in Baseline Killer case
(CBS/AP/KPHO) PHOENIX, Ariz. - On Monday, an Arizona jury found a former construction worker guilty of murdering nine people in the "Baseline Killer" case that plagued the Phoenix area between August 2005 and June 2006.
Mark Goudeau faced 72 counts, including the nine murders, sexual assault, and kidnapping. He pleaded not guilty to all and was found guilty of all but four, with the jury failing to reach a verdict on one.
The sentencing phase of his trial will begin on Wednesday. He is eligible for the death penalty.
The "Baseline Killer" was accused of attacking victims as they went about daily activities, like leaving work, washing their cars, or talking on cell phones. The case involved 33 victims in 13 different attacks between Aug. 6, 2005 and June 29, 2006.
Many of the crimes occurred around Arizona's Baseline road, giving the convicted murder his moniker. The nine murder victims, eight of them women, ranged in age from 19 to 39. Most were found with their pants unzipped and slightly pulled down.
In June, prosecutor Suzanne Cogen showed jurors graphic images of the victims, all of whom were shot in the head and lying in pools of blood. She explained that the attacks were random; a woman waiting at a bus stop, vacuuming her car, or in one case, cooking food in a food truck.
Prosecutors called Goudeau a "ravenous wolf," driven by a hunger to rape women and kill people who wouldn't cooperate with his demands.
Meanwhile, Defense Attorney Randall Craig claimed there were more likely suspects than Goudeau. He also said there were questions about the DNA tests that linked his client to the various crimes.
Craig said, "My heart goes out to the Goudeau family and Mr. Goudeau, and let's not forget the victims as well because all victims have families. Our heart goes out to them as well. Again, obviously we don't disagree with the verdict but we respect it."
CBS station KPHO reports that as the verdicts were read, Goudeau kept his head down, shaking it periodically, showing little emotion.
Goudeau is currently already serving a 438-year sentence after being convicted in a 2005 sexual assault of two sisters.