LOS ANGELES -- A London cab driver was charged with murdering six members of two familes who vanished last year but his cousin, a second suspect in the case, was released for lack of evidence.
Ashley Paulle, 43, was charged Monday with the murders of Sol and Elaine Salomon and their two children, who disappeared from their San Fernando Valley home Oct. 12, 1982, and Peter and Joan Davis, who vanished seven months earlier from their home a short distance away.
The victims' bodies have never been found.
Paulle also was charged with two counts of burglary in the theft of several expensive art works from the home of Davis, an antique dealer, and unspecified items taken from the Solomon's home.
A judge ordered Paulle to remain in custody without bail.
If convicted, Paulle could face the death penalty because of two special allegations -- multiple murders and murder during a burglary.
Earlier Monday, prosecutors declined to file murder charges against Paulle's cousin, Harvey Rader, 41, of Los Angeles, due to insufficient evidence. Rader, however, remains a suspect in the case, prosecutor Ron Coen said.
Following his release, Rader professed his innocence.
'How could anyone think I could be involved in the disappearance of those familes?' he said to a reporter. 'I love children and I could never do anything to hurt one. I'm a family man myself and I have two teenage boys and a baby.'
In a prepared statement, District Attorney Robert Philibosian disclosed that it appeared the motives for the murders were burglary and robbery.
Paulle's arraignment was delayed Monday until Dec. 6 and a gag order was imposed on the proceedings, forbiding police and prosecutors from discussing the case.
Paulle and Rader were arrested last Wednesday and Thursday after Paulle made incriminating statements to detectives, Police Chief Daryl Gates said at a news conference. A third man implicated by Paulle, Gerald Baxter, 56, of Carmel, Calif., was also arrested, but later released after questioning, and is no longer considered a suspect.
