California

3 Drifters Charged With Murder of Canadian, Tantra Teacher Plead Not Guilty

Three drifters accused of using a stolen gun to rob and kill a Canadian backpacker and a tantra instructor two days apart in California pleaded not guilty to charges including murder on Thursday.

Sean Michael Angold, 24, Morrison Haze Lampley, 23, and Lila Scott Alligood, 18, have been charged with a string of felony counts, from first-degree murder to animal cruelty, some of which would carry the death penalty.

The trio is accused of killing 23-year-old backpacker Audrey Carey in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park on Oct. 3, then gunning down beloved tantra teacher Steve Carter, 67, whose body was found Oct. 5 on a popular hiking trail in Marin County, 20 miles north of the city. Carter's dog was also shot.

Marin County District Attorney Ed Berberian has identified Lampley as the shooter, but has not said how he reached that conclusion. At the time the charges were filed, Berberian said both Angold and Alligood could also be convicted of murder.

"In the course of a crime that all join as participants, they can be liable for the conduct of one, even if they didn't pull the trigger," Berberian said.

Because all three were charged with two counts of murder with special circumstances, including lying in wait, Berberian said his office could choose to seek the death penalty.

The suspects have been described as "lost souls" who had no formal identification when arrested, according to the Marin County Sheriff's office.

All three pleaded not guilty Thursday in a Marin County Superior courtroom.

A judge set a preliminary hearing for May 9.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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