Man charged with drugging, sexually assaulting 9 women at his LA area homes
CBS News Live
A man accused of drugging and sexually assaulting nine women at his homes in Los Angeles County, allegedly killing one of the victims as she died from being drugged, is facing more than a dozen felony charges, prosecutors said Friday.
Michael DiGiorgio, 50, allegedly committed the assaults between May 2019 and November 2021 at his homes in Redondo and Hermosa Beach, according to the LA County District Attorney’s Office. He has been charged with 18 felony counts including murder, forcible rape and rape of an unconscious person, prosecutors said, and faces up to life in state prison if convicted of all charges.
Prosecutors have also filed a special allegation that he caused great bodily injury to a victim during the furnishing of a controlled substance, which carries a sentencing enhancement under California Penal Code Section 12022.7.
DiGiorgio was scheduled to be arraigned at a courthouse in downtown Los Angeles on Friday. CBS News Los Angeles has reached out to the DA’s office for information on how he pleaded.
No other details about the alleged crimes or the investigation were released by the DA’s office in a statement.
“I extend my deepest sympathy to the victims, whose lives have been irrevocably changed and the life lost by the alleged brutal acts of the offender,” District Attorney George Gascón said in the statement. “I encourage anyone with information related to these incidents or any other incidents regarding Mr. DiGiorgio to report it to the Redondo Beach Police Department.”
Prosecutors released a photo of DiGiorgio as investigators believe there could be more victims out there.
The charges filed against him include:
- one count of murder
- one felony count of forcible rape
- two felony counts of forcible sexual penetration
- three felony counts of rape by use of a drug
- two felony counts of sodomy by use of a drug
- five felony counts of sexual penetration by use of a drug
- one felony count of oral copulation by use of a drug
- one felony count of rape of an unconscious person
- two felony counts of furnishing a controlled substance
The Sex Crimes Division of the DA’s office and Redondo Beach Police Department are investigating the case. Anyone who may be a victim or has other information is asked to reach Redondo Beach police at 714-863-2859.
Marissa Wenzke is a journalist based in Los Angeles. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science from UC Santa Barbara and is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School.
