Man sentenced for 'heinous crimes' after raping 2 women in L.A.’s Venice Canals, resulting in 1 death

LOS ANGELES (TCN) -- A 30-year-old man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for physically attacking and sexually assaulting two women in a popular local neighborhood several months ago, resulting in the death of one of the victims.

In a Sept. 13 news release, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced that Anthony 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.

Jones also confessed to allegations that he abducted the victims, committed offenses against more than one victim, inflicted great bodily injury on the victims, and that the murder of one of the women occurred while he was engaged in the commission of rape and sodomy. A judge sentenced Jones to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus 107 years to life in state prison with an additional eight years in state prison for "these heinous crimes."

According to prosecutors, on the night of April 6, Jones physically attacked and sexually assaulted the women in the Venice Canals area while they were alone outside. Jones allegedly beat the women unconscious with a hard object and then sexually assaulted them, KCAL-TV reports.

The following month, the district attorney’s office said one of the victims, identified by KTTV-TV as Sara Arden, died from her injuries. She was reportedly left in a coma and remained in the hospital until she was taken off life support. She leaves behind two children and was allegedly in the process of moving to the Venice area when the attack occurred.

KNBC-TV reports that the other victim, Mary Klein, suffered a traumatic brain injury when Jones assaulted her approximately an hour after the first attack. Klein told the news source she has "about five plates and a bunch of screws in my face."

Gascón reportedly called the attacks "some of the most heinous sexual assaults I have ever seen.” According to KCAL, the district attorney said, “At one point, the victim regained consciousness, and Mr. Jones is accused of kicking her in the head again and standing over her throat. The pain and loss experienced by these individuals and their loved ones is horrific, and we extend our deepest empathy and compassion to them during this incredibly difficult time."

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