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Utah man pleads not guilty to 2 Los Angeles-area killings

Los Angeles • A Utah man has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges stemming from the alleged murders of an off-duty Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy and a professional Russian snowboarder in June.

Thirty-year-old Rhett Nelson was arraigned Monday on charges of killing 50-year-old Deputy Joseph Solano and 31-year-old Dmitry Kolstov. He also denied charges of attempted murder and robbery.

According to the District Attorney's Office, Nelson allegedly shot Solano at a suburban Alhambra Jack in the Box an hour after fatally shooting Kolstov in Los Angeles. He allegedly then robbed a gas station and a 7-Eleven in Long Beach, all on June 10.