A judge at the Superior Court of California in San Joaquin today confirmed the identity of Hawaii State Hospital escapee Randall Saito, allowing prosecutors to move forward with extradition proceedings.

Saito first appeared in court in California on Nov. 27 but would not confirm his identity so that his extradition hearing could proceed. Judge Michael Mulvihill today confirmed his identity via mug shot, fingerprint records and other documents provided by Hawaii authorities.

Mulvihill scheduled a hearing for Dec. 22 for the receipt of a warrant by Gov. David Ige on Saito’s extradition, according to Deputy District Attorney Robert Himelblau of the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office.

The exact date of Saito’s extradition to Hawaii has yet to be determined.

Joshua Wisch, spokesman of the Hawaii Attorney General’s Office, said the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office is working closely with local officials on the matter.

Saito walked out of the Hawaii State Hospital on Nov. 12, caught a cab to Lagoon Drive and chartered a flight to Maui. He then boarded a commercial flight to California.

Deputy sheriffs captured Saito three days later in Stockton after they received a tip from a cab company. His bail was set at $500,000.

Saito was acquitted by reason of insanity for the 1979 murder of a 29-year-old woman at Ala Moana Center. In the unprovoked attack, Saito shot Sandra Yamashiro at random with a pellet rifle at the shopping center’s parking lot. He then repeatedly stabbed her with a knife.

Diagnosed with sexual sadism and necrophilia, Saito has been committed to the state hospital since 1981.