White supremacist couple accused in killing spree indicted in Oregon

(JTA) — A white supremacist couple accused of four West Coast murders, including one because a name sounded Jewish, were indicted on federal racketeering charges.

A grand jury in Portland, Ore., indicted David "Joey" Pedersen, 32, and Holly Ann Grigsby, 25, for racketeering activity in violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act after an alleged campaign to “purify” and “preserve” the white race.

Grigsby will be arraigned Monday in Seattle. Pedersen’s arraignment in Portland has not been scheduled.

They were arrested in October 2011 after allegedly killing Pedersen’s father, stepmother and two strangers, including 19-year old Cody Myers, in a monthlong killing spree that spanned California, Washington and Oregon. Grigsby reportedly told investigators that Myers, a Christian, was killed because his name sounded Jewish.

The 24-page indictment charges that Pedersen and Grigsby were members of a criminal enterprise that aimed to promote a white supremacist movement.

The pair robbed their victims to finance the campaign, stole their cars to escape and murdered them to eliminate witnesses and avoid capture, according to The Seattle Times.

The enterprise, according to the indictment, also targeted Jewish leaders and members of prominent Jewish organizations. Pedersen researched the names and addresses of Jewish organizations in Seattle, Portland and Sacramento, Calif., to identify potential targets for elimination. The indictment includes no indication that he came close to killing any Jewish leaders.

“The indictment in this case alleges horrendous crimes were committed as part of the defendants’ white-supremacist campaign to kidnap and murder targets on the basis of race, color, religion, and perceived ‘degenerate’ conduct,” U.S. Attorney Amanda Marshall said in a statement.