'Alphabet' killer Joseph Naso should face death sentence, jury decides

A jury has recommended the death sentence for Joseph Naso, the 79-year-old convicted of the "Alphabet Murders" of four California women who all had matching initials.

The panel deliberated for about four hours on Tuesday before reaching its decision in the penalty phase of the case.

Naso, a former photographer, will be formally sentenced later.

Naso was previously convicted of four counts of murder in the deaths of prostitutes Roxene Roggasch, Carmen Colon, Pamela Parsons and Tracy Tafoya.

The victims were strangled and dumped in rural areas.

Prosecutors argued for the death sentence, presenting grisly photos of the bodies. Prosecutor Dori Ahana let a timer tick down from two minutes to zero - the time it takes an asphyxiated person to die.

But Naso told the jury he "was not the monster that killed these women". Even though the jury recommended death, it is unlikely Naso will be executed if the judge agrees with the panel.