Suspect In Stabbing Rampage That Left 4 Dead Charged With 11 Felonies

SANTA ANA (CBSLA)   -- The suspect who allegedly went on a stabbing rampage in Garden Grove and Santa Ana  - leaving four people dead in his wake - was formally charged with 11 felony counts Friday.

Authorities said Zachary Castaneda refused to show up in court -- so the court came to him.

His arraignment was moved to his Orange County Jail cell, where the known gang member with a long rap sheet pleaded not guilty to four counts of murder as well as counts of attempted murder, robbery, mayhem and assault with a deadly weapon.

Police said that Castaneda killed four men and stabbed two other people -- a man at a gas station and a 54-year-old woman at a business. Both of the non-fatal attacks were also captured on surveillance video. The man almost had his nose severed. The woman was stabbed several times. Both suffered serious injuries.

We now know the names and identifications of all of the deceased:

  • Gerardo Beltran, 63 of Garden Grove
  • Helmuth Hauprich, 62 of Garden Grove (Beltran and Hauprich were roommates and neighbors of Castaneda's)
  • Pascual Lorenzo, 39 of Garden Grove (killed outside of a Subway eatery)
  • Robert Parker, 58 of Orange (a security guard killed at a 7-Eleven)

Castaneda is being held on more than $1 million bail.

The Orange County District Attorney says a panel of lawyers have convened to discuss whether the state should seek death penalty charges.

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