Redondo Beach man charged with murder, sexually assaulting and drugging 9 women

A Redondo Beach man was charged Friday with drugging and sexually assaulting at least nine women, including one victim who died from the drugging, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office announced.

Michael DiGiorgio, 50, was charged with multiple counts of rape, sodomy and one count of murder, officials said. Many of the actions were carried out while the victims were drugged, authorities said, and it’s alleged that DiGiorgio caused great bodily injury to three of his victims.

“I extend my deepest sympathy to the victims, whose lives have been irrevocably changed and the life lost by the alleged brutal acts of the offender,” Dist. Atty. George Gascón said in a statement. “Our office is committed to holding him accountable for the pain and trauma he has inflicted.”

The crimes were allegedly committed between 2019 and November 2021 at DiGiorgio’s homes in Redondo Beach and Hermosa Beach, according to authorities. According to court records, DiGiorgio is charged with the murder, rape by use of drugs and other charges of Jane Doe 1 on July 6, 2020. He’s also accused of selling or transporting a controlled substance on Nov. 28, 2021.

Investigators with the district attorney’s Sex Crimes Division believe there may be more victims and encourages anyone with information about DiGiorgio to contact the Redondo Beach Police Department’s hotline at (714) 863-2859.

According to jail records, he was arrested Thursday with no bail set.

DiGiorgio is scheduled to appear in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Friday for his arraignment and faces a maximum life sentence in prison if convicted on the charges.

In August 2020, DiGiorgio was charged with rape, sexual assault of a an intoxicated person and several offenses, according to court records. That case was dismissed the following year for lack of a speedy trial.

The district attorney’s office in a statement said the office was unable to move forward with that case because the court granted “a motion to quash, resulting in the suppression of evidence to prove the People’s case.”