LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A man accused of killing eight people at a California hair salon in October in the largest mass slaying in Orange County history pleaded innocent on Wednesday to murder charges.

Former tug boat mate Scott Evans Dekraai, 42, entered not guilty pleas in Orange County Superior Court to eight counts of first degree murder and one count of attempted murder.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Detectives investigating a decapitated human head found by hikers in the hills below the iconic Hollywood sign have discovered a severed hand in the same general area, Los Angeles police said on Wednesday.

The hand was uncovered during an exhaustive search of a seven-acre expanse of Griffith Park, where two female hikers who were walking dogs came across the head in a bag on Tuesday, Los Angeles Police Commander Andrew Smith said.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A man accused of killing eight people at a California hair salon in October while out for revenge against his ex-wife was indicted on Tuesday on first degree murder charges, Orange County prosecutors said.

Scott Evans Dekraai, 42, was indicted by an Orange County grand jury on eight counts of first degree murder and one count of attempted murder over the shooting spree, called the worst mass shooting in the history of Orange County.

By Dan Whitcomb

(Reuters) – Doctors said on Friday that it was too early to tell the prognosis for top Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke who was in critical condition at a Salt Lake City hospital after a fall.

Burke, an early favorite to win an Olympic gold medal at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, was taken by air ambulance to University of Utah hospital on Tuesday after falling during a half-pipe run at Park City Mountain Resort.

Jan 12 (Reuters) – Canadian freestyle skier Sarah
Burke, who was seriously injured in a fall earlier this week,
remained in critical condition at a Salt Lake City hospital on
Thursday following surgery, doctors said.

Considered one of the top half-pipe athletes in the world,
Burke was among the early favorites to win the Olympic gold
medal when freestyle halfpipe makes its debut at the 2014 Games
in Sochi, Russia. She has reached the podium at every career
World Cup start and is a four-time champion at the X-Games.

By Dan Whitcomb

(Reuters) – Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke, who was seriously injured in a fall earlier this week, remained in critical condition at a Salt Lake City hospital on Thursday following surgery, doctors said.

Considered one of the top half-pipe athletes in the world, Burke has reached the podium at every career World Cup start, according to the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A California farm group called on Wednesday for the arrest of those behind an arson fire that damaged 14 tractor-trailer rigs parked at a feedlot, labeling it an act of “domestic terrorism.”

Animal rights activists have claimed responsibility for the blaze, which broke out before dawn on Sunday at the Harris Ranch feedlot in Coalinga.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Police in Orange County said on Monday they do not believe that a transient found dead on Monday was the fourth victim of a suspected serial killer operating in the area.

The body of an unidentified homeless man was discovered at mid-morning in Santa Ana near the truck where he was apparently living, police said.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A German citizen was charged on Wednesday with setting dozens of fires across Los Angeles over the New Year’s weekend in a spree an arson investigator said was motivated by a “rage against Americans.”

Harry Burkhart, 24, who is also wanted in Germany on suspicion of burning down his home, was charged with 37 counts of arson stemming from the three-day wave of fires that caused an estimated $3 million in damage and left residents of Los Angeles and surrounding communities shaken.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A German citizen was charged on Wednesday with setting dozens of fires across Los Angeles over the New Year’s holiday weekend by prosecutors who said he had been motivated by “rage against Americans.”

Harry Burkhart, 24, was charged with 37 counts of arson stemming from the three-day wave of fires that caused an estimated $3 million in damage and left residents of Los Angeles and surrounding communities shaken.