Santa Clarita Valley Rape, Murder Cases Have Court Dates Wednesday

Posted by: Perry Smith in Court August 13, 2014 - 2:54 pm 0 287 Views

Two murder cases with Santa Clarita Valley ties were in the courts Wednesday, as was a convicted murderer being tried for rape.

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All three cases were delayed until later dates, according to representatives from the District Attorney’s Office.

Laura Purviance

Laura Purviance, 25, of Woodland Hills, stands accused of fatally shooting her mother, Caroline Purviance, who taught at Valencia High, and was ordered to stand trial in February after her preliminary hearing.

Related: Santa Clarita Valley Murder, Attempted Murder Cases Have Court Dates

The case is being prosecuted by Elizabeth Ratinoff.

There was a pretrial hearing Wednesday, which is usually held for the discussion of evidence or scheduling.

Purviance allegedly shot her mother, stole her car and then “just started driving,” according to a detective who investigated the case.

She was later found and arrested by Oregon State Police officers in Medford, Ore.

Purviance was held to answer to one count of murder with a special circumstance allegation of lying in wait, following a preliminary hearing presided by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Kellogg, according to a statement from District Attorney’s Office Spokesman Ricardo Santiago.

Laura’s mother, Caroline Purviance worked for the William S. Hart Union High School District from March 1999 to January 2004.

She’s due back in court for another pretrial hearing.

Lance Anderson

Anderson stands accused of a double murder stemming from a pair of fatal 2013 shootings.

Lance Holger Anderson, 60, of Canyon Country, could face the death penalty if he’s convicted in the double murder of his wife and sister, according to a District Attorney’s Office representative.

His wife, 68-year-old Bertha Maxine Anderson, was found shot in the head where the two reportedly lived together at the 26800 block of Claudette Street.

Arthur Lindsey

Lindsey is facing life in prison if convicted of an Acton rape. He’s due back in court Sept. 24.

Arthur Edward Lindsey, 73, of Acton, was accused of possession of a firearm, which is not allowed by Lindsey because he is a convicted felon.

A judge determined there was enough evidence to add the charge to several that Lindsey is already facing in September.

Lindsey was arraigned on four counts — two counts of rape, and two other counts related to a sexual assault, said Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami, who is overseeing the prosecution.

“The victim was a 29-year-old woman, a Santa Clarita resident,” Hatami said. The crime occurred about 10 miles north of Shadow Pines, and the victim did not know Lindsey.

The crime occurred between Tuesday and Wednesday, Hatami said.

“We filed two counts (Friday) of rape of an unconscious person, one count of oral copulation of an unconscious person and one count of sexual penetration by a foreign object,” said Jane Robison, spokeswoman for the District Attorney’s Office.

Lindsey has a record of violent sex crimes.

“He’s a three-striker,” Hatami said, adding that he planned to seek a life sentence in the case.

Lindsey was convicted of a rape-murder in Indiana in 1968.

“He pleaded no contest to not being registered as a sex offender (on May 18, 2005),” Robison said. “He was sentenced to four years in state prison.”

Lindsey moved to Southern California in 1998, after he was released on parole for his murder sentence.

Lindsey’s most recent registered address is 10645 Soledad Canyon Road, Apartment A, in Acton, according to California’s Megan’s Law website.

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