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Monument man suspected in 1973 murder will be extradited to California

Posted at 9:55 AM, Feb 28, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-28 11:55:27-05
James Alan Neal
James Alan Neal

COLORADO SPRINGS – The Monument man accused of murdering an 11-year-old girl in California in 1973 will be extradited back to California.

James Alan Neal appeared in El Paso County Court Thursday morning where he waived his right to a hearing, avoiding a potential fight on heading back to California to face charges. All future court proceedings will take place in California where the murder charge was filed.

Neal is suspected of killing 11-year-old Linda Ann O’Keefe in 1973. O’Keefe was last seen talking to someone in a van in Corona del Mar, Calif. on July 6, 1973. She was kidnapped and strangled to death.

Colorado Springs police officers and El Paso County deputies arrested Neal in connection to her murder on Feb. 19.

Prosecutors in California used DNA samples that were collected at the time of her murder. Those samples were then compared to samples through a genealogical tracking effort, which led authorities to him. The prosecutor in the case said law enforcement surveilled Neal and eventually collected a sample of his DNA in Colorado.

Neal moved around California numerous times since 1993, and he moved to Monument three years ago. They said he also changed his name years ago from James Alan George Leighton to James Alan Neal.

A California prosecutor said suspects in these types of cases are more likely to have committed other acts, but at this time they have no other information on other crimes connected to Neal.

Should California authorities not arrange for his transportation back to the golden state, he has a hearing scheduled in El Paso County court on March 14 at 9 a.m.

If you have information about Neal, you’re encouraged to contact the Orange County District Attorney’s Office at (714) 834-3600.