The man who's charged with abducting and killing a college student in Corvallis had two other victims in mind. According to the prosecutor, he tried to kidnap them before Brooke Wilberger.

kgw.com photo

Joel Patrick Courtney as shown in police mug shot.

The details came to light after a Benton County Grand Jury indicted Joel Courtney on several new charges including attempted murder, attempted kidnapping and attempted rape. "It was the circumstances that limited the window of opportunity for him to prey upon them that may likely have spared their lives," explained John Haroldson, Benton County District Attorney.

On May 24, 2004 Brooke Wilberger vanished from a Corvallis apartment complex.

The BYU student has never been found. Courtney is charged with Wilberger's murder.

According to the prosecutor, the same morning Wilberger disappeared, Courtney approached two Oregon State University students.

The attempted kidnappings, the prosecutors says, occurred about the same time and very near where Wilberger disappeared. "They were approached individually, in isolated areas. They were approached by him in his efforts through deception to be able to abduct them," says Haroldson.

Courtney is currently awaiting trial in New Mexico on unrelated rape charges for attacking a college student.

Background: Man charged with murder in Wilberger case