( CNN ) -- Two additional homicide charges were announced Thursday against a suspected serial stabber who was trying to board an overseas flight when he was arrested , Michigan authorities said . Elias Abuelazam is a suspect in 18 stabbings in three states . Five of the attacks were fatal -- all of those in Genesee County , Michigan , said the county 's prosecutor , David Leyton . Four of the 18 attacks occurred in Ohio and Virginia . Abuelazam has been charged with homicide in three of the five deaths . Earlier , defense attorney Edwar Zeineh told CNN that he expected `` up to four new murder charges '' to be announced Thursday . However , Leyton said Thursday that the remaining cases are still under investigation . `` There is a lot we have to comb through , '' the prosecutor said . Previously , Abuelazam , 34 , faced one murder count , five counts of assault with intent to commit murder and one charge of malicious destruction of property -- all related to attacks in Michigan . The new charges stem from separate fatal stabbings of two Michigan men , one 43 and another 60 . In the first case , a witness identified Abuelazam as the stabber after seeing his photo on television , Leyton said . In the second , police obtained a search warrant for Abuelazam 's luggage after he boarded a plane in Louisville , Kentucky , that was bound for Atlanta , Georgia . He was arrested August 11 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport , where he was set to board a flight to Israel , police said . Investigators found a pair of sneakers in his baggage with evidence of blood matching the DNA of the 60-year-old victim , Leyton said . Abuelazam was indicted last week by a grand jury in Toledo , Ohio , in the stabbing of a church janitor . Zeineh said he does not believe investigators have insurmountable proof against his client . `` I still feel strongly there is reasonable doubt based on my review of the evidence so far , '' he said , without mentioning specifics . Abuelazam 's mother recently flew from Israel to Flint , Michigan , to see her son , and has made several jailhouse visits . `` Her presence there as a mom was to empower her son , '' Zeineh said . `` She helped him gather his thoughts and be [ a ] productive member of his defense team . '' The three-state string of attacks began in May and ended in August . Most of the stabbing victims were African-American . Federal officials have not provided a motive for the attacks . Leesburg , Virginia , Police Chief Joseph Price has said he believed the attacker was targeting African-Americans . Abuelazam is believed responsible for three attacks in Leesburg . If convicted in Michigan , Abuelazam could face life in prison without parole . The state does not have the death penalty . Authorities had Abuelazam in custody twice in a two-week stretch , both within hours of reports of stabbings , but he was released . Police said he had not been linked to the attacks at the time . Abuelazam was arrested August 5 after a traffic stop and July 29 for allegedly providing alcohol to a minor . He was fined $ 125 in July . In the traffic stop arrest , in Arlington , Virginia , police arrested Abuelazam after learning he had an outstanding warrant for assault . A knife and hammer were found in his car . Authorities now believe both weapons were used in the string of stabbings . One of the attacks took place in Virginia hours after Abuelazam was released . CNN 's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report .
one more homicide charges are filed against Susan Candiotti , who is jailed in Ohio . He 's been linked to attacks in Michigan , Virginia and Ohio . His attorney says investigators do not have strong enough evidence .