The Franklin County Prosecutor has announced a death penalty indictment for the man accused of torturing and murdering a 24-year-old woman.
UPDATE: The man accused of killing 24-year-old Rachael Anderson appears in court.
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The Franklin County Grandy Jury returned a nine-count indictment on 53-year-old Anthony James Pardon.
Pardon is accused of kidnapping, raping and killing Rachael Anderson in late January.
Anderson was an apprentice with the Shaw-Davis Funeral Homes. On January 29, her co-workers became concerned when she did not show up for work or call.
Her co-workers contacted authorities who went to her apartment on Allegheny Avenue. She was found dead inside her bedroom closet.
In the indictment, it is alleged that Anderson’s debit card was used at various locations throughout the city on January 28 and 29. Her vehicle was observed on video surveillance at many of the same locations.
The vehicle and crime scene were processed and a sexual assault kit were submitted as evidence.
A DNA profile was uploaded into a database which matched with Pardon. He was arrested a short time later.
The counts in Pardon’s indictment include aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, kidnapping and rape.
The indictment also includes a combination of the following Specifications: felony murder (death penalty specifications), repeat attempted murder, sexually violent predator, and repeat violent offender specifications.
The repeat violent offender specifications in the indictment are based on a prior aggravated robbery, rape and attempted murder conviction in 1982.
The arraignment for Pardon is scheduled for February 20.
