CLEVELAND (AP) -- The kidnapping and rape case against a registered sex offender who was living with 10 dead bodies and a skull was put on hold Thursday while a grand jury pursues the homicide investigation.

The public defender and prosecutor in the kidnap-rape case against Anthony Sowell in the Sept. 22 attack that led to the search of his home met privately with a judge. A pretrial hearing was pushed back to Dec. 2 pending possible grand jury action.

"We're basically waiting for the next thing to happen," according to Sowell's public defender, Brian McGraw, who specified possible action by the grand jury in the finding of the bodies.

Sowell has been charged in the September attack with two counts each of rape, kidnapping and felonious assault and one count of attempted murder. He has been charged with five counts of aggravated murder in the discovery of the bodies, reflecting the initial five homicide rulings by the coroner.

Sowell wasn't brought from jail to the judge's chambers for the conference.

Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Richard Bombik said the homicide and September rape/kidnap cases might be consolidated at some point.

"I don't think it's a big secret that we will attempt to intertwine all these offenses," he told reporters after meeting with the judge and McGraw.

The prosecution expects to seek the death penalty in the discovery of the bodies, he said.

The search for more remains at Sowell's home apparently had ended. No additional search is planned, police Lt. Thomas Stacho said Wednesday night after a daylong search that followed up on possible clues provided by an FBI thermal imaging sweep. No human remains were found.

Thermal imaging can detect heat sources like decomposing materials and loosely packed ground that might indicate a grave.

Sowell served 15 years in prison for a 1989 attempted rape. He was arrested while walking in the neighborhood on Oct. 31, two days after police began searching his home in connection with a woman's complaint that Sowell had attacked her there two months ago.

Ten of the 11 victims whose remains were found at the home, all women, have been identified. All were black and many were homeless or living alone and had drug or alcohol addictions. Most apparently had been strangled.

Sowell has been accused of luring women to his home with the promise of alcohol or drugs.

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.

Click here for copyright permissions! Copyright 2008 Associated Press