Krajcir waives right to arraignment in Pennsylvania

Timothy W. Krajcir waived his rights to a formal arraignment and reading of the charges against him Tuesday in a hearing at the Berks County Courthouse in Reading, Penn.

Krajcir faces charges of first degree murder, rape, possessing instruments of crime and impersonating a public servant. The charges stem from the 1979 strangulation death of Myrtle Rupp, a 51-year-old woman, in South Temple, Penn.

A closed circuit television allowed Pennsylvania authorities to conduct the hearing without Krajcir, 63, of Carbon County, Penn., having to leave the maximum security prison in Tamms, Ill., where he is currently serving two 40-year sentences. The sentences, which will run back to back, are for convictions in the murder of Virginia L. Witte, in Marion, Ill., and Deborah Sheppard, in Carbondale, Ill.

Berks County district attorney John T. Adams said a date of June 19 has been set for a preliminary hearing in the Rupp homicide case.

"We actually expect him to enter a plea at that time," said Adams.

Adams said in previous interviews he expects to conduct all of the proceedings by video, so Krajcir does not have to be moved from the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Adams said he does not anticipate seeking the death penalty in this case, but if he did, he would be required to give notice to the court by the date of the preliminary hearing.

In Cape Girardeau, Krajcir pleaded guilty on April 4 to five counts of first degree murder, seven counts of sexual assault, and one count of first degree robbery. He received a life sentence for each charge against him.

The charges stemmed from the 1977 murders of Brenda and Mary Parsh and Sheila Cole; the 1982 slayings of Margie Call and Mildred Wallace; and six other unrelated crimes Krajcir committed in Cape Girardeau during the late 1970s and early 1980s.