Arraignment delayed in unsolved slayings

CLEVELAND - Prosecutors have postponed the arraignment of a convicted murderer charged in the cold-case slayings of two women who died in a poor area of Cleveland several years apart.

Joseph Harwell was indicted March 8 on charges of raping and killing Mary Thomas in 1989 and Tondilear Harge in 1996. He was scheduled to appear before a judge on Monday, but prosecutors say he was not transported to court. A new arraignment date has not been set.

Harwell does not yet have an attorney. He pleaded guilty to killing a woman in Columbus in 1997 and is serving 15 years to life in prison.

Investigators began looking into unsolved slayings on the east side of Cleveland after the decomposing remains of 11 women were found around the home of another man.