An 80-year-old New York man accused of killing two women at the Oceanfront in 1973 made his first local court appearance Thursday.
Virginia Beach General District Judge Teresa Hammons informed Ernest Jean Broadnax of the charges he faces — two counts of murder and one count of rape — and asked if he planned to hire an attorney.
“No ma’am, not at this time,” Broadnax said.
When the judge asked if he wanted the court to determine whether he qualifies for a public defender, he declined the offer.
“No ma’am, I just want to get this over with,” he said. He then mumbled something about his family.
The judge scheduled a preliminary court hearing for June 14.
Broadnax, a former Norfolk resident, is charged with the June 30, 1973, murders of two 19-year-old women at the Oceanfront.
The bodies of Lynn Seethaler and Janice Pietropola were found in a rented beach cottage by a motel employee after they failed to check out at the end of a week-long stay. Pietropola was raped, strangled and shot three times. Seethaler was strangled, shot twice, and had her throat slashed.
Virginia Beach Police said they recently were able to link Broadnax to the cold case through advanced forensic technology. They arrested him April 8 at his apartment in a Queens, New York, neighborhood, and brought him back to Virginia Wednesday after he waived extradition.
