Transient charged in kidnapping, slaying of 17-year-old Lily Burk [Updated]

A transient accused in the slaying of 17-year-old Lily Burk was charged today with capital murder, kidnapping and two counts of robbery.
[Updated at 2:51 p.m.: Charles Samuel, 50, appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court today with his attorney. His arraignment was postponed for three weeks.]

The Los Angeles County Dist. Atty.'s Office said it will determine at a later point whether to seek the death penalty.

Police detectives arrested 50-year-old Charlie Samuel in connection with Burk's death. They allege that he kidnapped her near the Southwestern University College of Law on Friday afternoon and killed her after unsuccessfully trying to withdraw money using her credit card.

Police said today that fingerprints recovered from inside the Volvo match Samuel's.


Samuel was arrested at 5:30 p.m. Friday on suspicion of possessing drugs and drug paraphernalia on 3rd Street in downtown Los Angeles -- at least 12 hours before a worker discovered Burk's body at 5th and South Alameda streets.

Burk had gone to the law school to pick up some papers for her mother, an entertainment attorney who teaches at the school.