Charged man cited 'Purge' over US deaths

A 19-year-old Indianapolis man has been charged with killing three people over four days in attacks a prosecutor said he justified by citing the horror movie The Purge, which is about one day a year when murder is legal.

A Marion County judge entered a not guilty plea for Johnathan Cruz and ordered him held without bail during an initial hearing on Thursday on three murder counts and other charges for the attacks starting May 12.

Angela Barger, who told reporters after the hearing she was Cruz's girlfriend, said she was with him at least one day during that time and didn't believe he committed the crimes.

"They're making him out to be some type of crazy, violent person and he's not," she said. "Yeah, he had issues, but he wasn't that violent."

Detectives said a witness told them that Cruz confessed he had been "purging" by shooting and robbing people, according to court documents filed Wednesday.

Police said this referred to the 2013 movie starring Ethan Hawke, in which during one night a year, all crime is legal. Detectives found a text message dated May 2 from Cruz saying "I Purge every night now."

Deputy Prosecutor Denise Robinson said authorities have mobile phone video of at least part of one suspected attack.

"I can't get into his mind, but he certainly used the movie as at least his excuse or justification when he was recording himself committing these acts," she said.

Court documents say Cruz fatally shot Billy Boyd and Jay Higginbotham on May 12 and Jose Ruiz on May 15 during attacks on the city's east and north sides. He is also charged with the armed robbery of a man on May 14.