'I Was in the Presence of Evil,' says Dad Upon Seeing Daughter's Killer

Editor's note: Until the end of 2011, Patch will be republishing some of the year's biggest news stories in Mission Viejo.

It was her first glimpse of the man accused of killing her daughter 25 years ago, and it came by accident.

Genelle Reilley was in tears outside a Santa Ana courtroom Friday afternoon describing the moment she saw Andrew Urdiales, 47, who is on trial for murdering five women in California,  including Reilley's daughter Robbin Brandley. Urdiales has already been and was extradited to Orange County this week.

The couple wore all black. With husband Jack's arm around her shoulder, Genelle told reporters what she saw.

"It was by accident that I looked at him," she said. He stood in chains and an orange jumpsuit behind a chain-link window inside a courtroom. His head was shaven.

Her voice became quiet after that, and tears streaked Genelle's face.

Jack had seen Urdiales once before, in Chicago at another trial. He said he saw then what he saw Friday.

"I just felt I was absolutely in the presence of evil," he said. Today he said he felt "a chill run down my spine."

The arraignment hearing itself was postponed until Dec. 1 to give the defense time to examine the case. Urdiales could face the death penalty if convicted. But Senior Deputy District Attorney Howard Gundy refused to tip the prosecution's hand, saying the decision to seek the death penalty rested with District Attorney Tony Rackauckas.

For the Reilleys, surrounded by reporters following the postponement, it was an opportuniy to remember their daughter. They described Brandley as an ambitious young woman planning a future in business.

Brandley had been active at Saddleback College's radio station , where she was a disk jockey. She was in the midst of planning to bring the popular pop group the Thompson Twins to campus when she was killed Jan. 18, 1986.

And it was a time to remember their loss, too.

"He's alive and this beautiful girl has been dead 25 years," Genelle said. "He took away our future, our grandchildren."