Suspect in 7-Eleven Crime Spree Charged with 3 Murders

20-year-old Malik Patt and 44-year-old Jason Payne, both Los Angeles residents, were arrested last Friday for their suspected series of armed robberies and shootings on July 11th. Today, ABC 7 Los Angeles reports that Patt has been charged with three counts of felony murder, “two counts of attempted murder, three counts of robbery and one count of carjacking while armed.” He has been held without bail in Santa Ana.

A stack of handgun-related sentencing enhancements will make Patt eligible for the death penalty or a life sentence without the possibility for parole, states ABC 7 Los Angeles.

Payne, a co-defendant and apparently an acquaintance of Patt, received “three counts of robbery and one count of attempted robbery.” CBS Los Angeles reports Payne is being held on $1 million bail and was taken to a hospital due to injuries obtained during his arrest.

The spree of robberies targeted several 7-Eleven stores across Southern California and one Santa Ana doughnut shop. Patt allegedly shot and hospitalized three people as well as killing 24-year-old Matthew Rule, 40-year-old Matthew Hirsch, and a homeless man outside “a 7-Eleven store robbed on July 9.”

Patt is slated to be prosecuted in Orange County, according to ABC 7 Los Angeles.