South Bay Man Accused Of Drugging, Raping 9 Women Pleads Not Guilty

REDONDO BEACH, CA — A South Bay man facing charges for allegedly drugging and sexually

assaulting nine women, killing one of them, pleaded guilty Wednesday to 18 felony counts in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Superior Court Judge Susan J. De Witt ordered Michael Anthony DiGiorgio, 51, to remain jailed without bail.

DiGiorgio is charged with murder, rape by use of a drug, sodomy by use of a drug, sexual penetration by use of a drug, oral copulation by use of a drug, forcible rape, forcible sexual penetration, rape of an unconscious person and furnishing a controlled substance.

If convicted, DiGiorgio faces life in prison.

According to Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón, DiGiorgio brought the women to his homes in Hermosa and Redondo Beach and drugged them with a controlled substance between 2019 and 2021. One of the women died from being drugged, the District Attorney said.

Deputy District Attorney Catherine Mariano — who had asked for DiGiorgio to remain behind bars without bail — told the judge that authorities believe there are six other alleged victims, although charges have not yet been filed involving any of them.

Defense attorney Pat Carey countered that his client is "not a flight risk" and had been free on $1.3 million bail in a previous case in which his client was charged in connection with the same alleged incidents but without the murder count. That case was dismissed in 2021 after a judge agreed to suppress evidence that the defense argued had been obtained in violation of DiGiorgio's constitutional rights.

DiGiorgio is due back in court on Nov. 19 for a hearing to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to allow the case against him to proceed to trial.

City News Service contributed to this report.