ROSEVILLE – Eric Abril, the man accused of killing a hostage and shooting two other people at Mahany Park in 2023, changed his plea to not guilty by reason of insanity to numerous charges, prosecutors said. 

Those charges include murder, attempted murder, kidnapping and escape from custody. 

The plea change happened Wednesday in the Placer County Supieror Court.

Prosecutors said Abril shot and killed 72-year-old James MacEgan and wounded his wife and a CHP officer during a gun battle with law enforcement in 2023 at Mahany Park. 

Authorities were trying to serve the warrant in connection with a freeway shooting two months earlier on a Sacramento County freeway. 

He later escaped custody from a hospital but was recaputed following a manhunt. 

The plea change will slow down the legal process as all trial dates that had been set were vacated and the case returns to court in April.