Anthony Jones sentenced to life in prison with an additional 107 year sentence, added.
Anthony Francisco Jones, 29, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on September 13 after pleading no contest to charges related to the sexual assault of two women in the Venice Canals neighborhood on April 6, which resulted in the death of one of the victims.
Jones had initially been charged with two counts of forcible rape and one count each of sexual penetration by use of force, mayhem, torture, attempted murder, and sodomy by use of force. After one of the victims died in the hospital from her injuries, a murder charge was added, with special circumstance allegations that Jones committed the killing during the acts of forcible rape and sodomy.
Jones pleaded no contest to one count of murder, two counts of forcible rape, one count of sexual penetration by use of force, one count of mayhem, one count of torture, and one count of sodomy by use of force. In addition to the life sentence without parole, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Cathryn F. Brougham sentenced Jones to an additional 107 years to life in state prison, plus eight years determinate.
“The prosecutors did an incredible job negotiating this plea, sparing the victims from having to endure months, if not years, of trauma from a trial,” said Darrell Preston, the Operations Manager of The Venice Whaler and Baja who was in court on Friday. “LAPD detectives were smart and tenacious, working tirelessly behind the scenes. The end result reflects what happens when good people come together and work as a team.”
The attacks occurred late in the evening on April 6. According to the Los Angeles Police Department and prosecutors, the first assault took place around 10:30 p.m. in the 2700 block of Strongs Drive, where Sarah A, a 53-year-old Massachusetts resident, was struck from behind with a blunt object, rendering her unconscious. About an hour later, Jones attacked a second woman near Sherman Canal, inflicting severe injuries. While the second victim survived, Alden succumbed to her injuries on May 20.
Alden, a mother of two sons, had been preparing to move to Venice from Massachusetts. According to a GoFundMe page established by friends to help cover funeral expenses, she had planned to meet friends for breakfast on April 7 to share the news of her move to Los Angeles. A friend described Alden as someone who “adored her two sons, her animals, and was blessed with a refined eye for vintage jewelry.”
“She was a lover of sunrises on the East Coast and sunsets on the West Coast,” the friend wrote. “At 53 years old, Sarah was looking to start a new chapter in her journey; to walk a new road. Instead, her life was violently taken from her.”
Jones was arrested in San Diego in May and had been held without bail. He was originally set to return to court on June 11 for a hearing to determine whether there was enough evidence for him to stand trial. However, following the no-contest plea, the sentencing was expedited.
Prestone noted that Mary gave a powerful and impactful victim impact statement.
(This story first appeared in the Westside Current and is reprinted with permission.)