A 69-year-old North Hills man already facing a murder count in the shooting death of his gay son has been charged with fatally stabbing his 68-year-old wife, prosecutors said Thursday.
Shehada Khalil Issa is set to be arraigned May 17 in a San Fernando courtroom on the two murder charges, which include the special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
Prosecutors will decide later whether to seek the death penalty against him.
On the morning of March 29, police were called to the family home in the 15000 block of Rayen Street and found Issa's adult son, Amir Issa, outside and his wife, Rabihah Shibi Issa, inside a bathroom.
The felony complaint says Issa gunned down his son with a shotgun. His wife had been stabbed, and police believe her killing took place that day or a few days earlier.
Los Angeles Police Department Detective John Doerbecker told the Los Angeles Times earlier this month that Issa's anger over his son's sexuality was believed to be a contributing factor in the shooting, but not the underlying motivation for the killing.
Doerbecker said detectives were working on the theory that "dad killed mom and then killed his son to cover it up."
News
Top news of the day
Issa is being held without bail. If convicted, prosecutors said he faces the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.
