Skip to content

Driver charged with murders of 4 Pepperdine sorority sisters released after bail slashed to $4M

Δ

Thanks for contacting us. We’ve received your submission.

The BMW driver charged with murdering four Pepperdine University sorority sisters who were mowed down at over 100 mph in Malibu has been released again, this time after his bail was halved to $4 million.

Fraser Bohm — who has pleaded not guilty to four counts of murder in the deaths of seniors Peyton Stewart, Niamh Rolston, Asha Weir, and Deslyn William — was released about 8:30 p.m. Friday, CBS News reported.

He was initially charged with gross vehicular manslaughter and released while investigators gathered additional evidence — including a toxicology report, speed analysis and execution of search warrants — after the deadly Oct. 17 crash.

The 22-year-old was later re-arrested on the murder charges, with Los Angeles County DA George Gascón saying he deliberately acted “with conscious disregard for human life.”

Bohm’s bail was initially set at $8 million, but Judge Eric Harmon slashed it by half to $4 million.

Defense attorney Michael Kraut asked the judge to reduce the bail to $400,000, arguing that his client was a victim of road rage.

On Wednesday, Gascón ​told reporters that Bohm was “allegedly speeding at speeds of 104 miles an hour in a 45 mph zone when he lost control of his BMW,” explaining that the murder charges were lodged because of “the speed, the reckless disregard for the safety of others.”

Authorities said Bohm swerved onto the north shoulder of the westbound Pacific Coast Highway and slammed into at least three parked vehicles.

The parked vehicles struck the four students who were standing or walking nearby, officials said.

Kraut claimed there was no evidence to support the DA’s claim that Bohm was driving at 104 mph. “He used numbers like my client was at 104 miles per hour at the time of the crash. The evidence clearly shows that didn’t happen,” Kraut told reporters Thursday.

The lawyer said the maximum speed at the time of the crash was 70 mph based on witness statements, his client’s statement and the black box inside the BMW, according to CBS News.

Kraut claimed there was no evidence to support the DA’s claim that Bohm was driving at 104 mph. “He used numbers like my client was at 104 miles per hour at the time of the crash. The evidence clearly shows that didn’t happen,” Kraut told reporters Thursday.

“Had they done their job, which is to listen to the witnesses and test their credibility before running out and filing murder charges on a 22- year-old with zero record, zero points, no speeding tickets and somebody who’s been totally law-abiding, we wouldn’t be here with murder charges. There’d be somebody else standing here,” Kraut said.

“My client was picking up tacos for a friend. There was no drugs, no alcohol, nothing that he had consumed, no smoking of marijuana. He picked up the tacos and was headed north,” he added.

Sheriff’s Department spokesman Sgt. Jim Arens said he had “no evidence” that the crash was the result of an alleged road rage incident, as claimed by the charged driver’s attorney.

Bohm could face multiple life sentences if convicted on the murder charges, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

Advertisement

Today's News.
For Conservatives.
Every Single Day.

News Opt-in
(Optional) By checking this box you are opting in to receive news notifications from News Rollup. Text HELP for help, STOP to end. Message & data rates may apply. Message frequency varies. Privacy Policy & Terms: textsinfo.com/PP
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.