Serial Killer's Brother Called to Testify at California Murder Trial

JOLIET, IL — The brother of a serial killer sentenced to death in Illinois has been called out to California for another murder trial.

Andrew Urdiales, 51, escaped the death penalty when Gov. Pat Quinn abolished capital punishment in 2011. Urdiales remains in custody at Pontiac Correctional Center, where he is serving three life sentences.

Urdiales was indicted in 2009 on five counts of first-degree murder. From 1986 to 1995, he allegedly killed a 23-year-old volunteer theater usher and four prostitutes.

The new case against Urdiales was brought by Orange County, California, prosecutors.

Urdiales’ older brother, Arthur Urdiales, was called to testify at the trial, which is scheduled to start in 16 days.

“Arthur Urdiales is expected to give testimony about defendant and his family’s history during both the guilty and/or penalty phase of the trial,” according to a declaration filed in Will County court.

“His testimony will be relevant to opinion testimony of mental health experts who will be presented at trial on the issue on whether defendant suffers from mental disease or defect and as part of mitigation evidence at penalty phase,” the filing said.

Arthur Urdiales has addresses listed in Mokena and Frankfort Square. His listed telephone number is disconnected.

Andrew Urdiales enlisted in the Marines after he graduated Thornridge High School, according to the website Murderpedia, and was in the military when he allegedly committed four of his five California killings.

“Urdiales returned to the Chicago area permanently in 1996, just months after killing his last victim in California and became a security guard,” Murderpedia said. “On April 14th, 1996 he killed Lori Uylaki, 25, of Hammond, and dumped her body in Wolf Lake which straddles the border of Illinois and Indiana.”

Urdiales was found guilty of killing both Uylaki and another Chicago woman, the site said, and was later convicted of another murder in Livingston County.