VISTA, Calif. -- A man accused of hacking his parents to death in their Carlsbad home must stand trial on murder charges that could lead to the death penalty, a judge ruled Wednesday.

Dennis Gluck, 44, was apprehended by Mexican police on a bus near Ensenada on Feb. 26 and turned over to U.S. authorities.

Carlsbad police officers found the bodies of 90-year-old Harry Gluck and his 78-year-old wife, Jean, in a bedroom of their home on Jan. 18.

Both died of "chop" wounds to their upper bodies, inflicted by a bladed instrument of some kind, authorities said.

After a half-day preliminary hearing, Vista Judge Timothy Casserly ordered the defendant to stand trial on two counts of murder, a knife use allegation and a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders.

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis will decide later whether Gluck will face the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted.

The defendant, who lived with his parents for several months prior to the slayings, had a history of "aggressive" behavior toward them, though no such episodes were known to have occurred during his recent stay with the couple, said Carlsbad police Lt. Kelly Cain.

Cain said Gluck had assaulted people before with "edged weapons" and was arrested several years ago for attacking someone with a machete at a homeless camp in Oceanside.

According to court documents, Gluck's brother told authorities that the defendant suffers from bipolar disorder.

Gluck -- who is being held without bail -- will be back in court April 21 for arraignment in Superior Court.