Los Angeles–A man and a woman were sentenced today for their roles in the 2014 murder of a University of Southern California graduate student from China.
Jonathan Del Carmen (dob 6/2/95) was sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison, while Alejandra Guerrero (dob 6/2/98) was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Del Carmen, Guerrero and two others confronted 24-year-old Xinran Ji, who was walking home from a study group near the USC campus shortly before 1 a.m. on July 24, 2014. The victim was struck several times with a bat and a wrench before he ran away.
Co-defendant Andrew Garcia eventually caught up to Ji and hit him repeatedly with the bat. Ji made his way back to his apartment where he died. He was found hours later by a roommate.
In August 2017, Garcia was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after jurors found him guilty of one count each of first-degree murder, robbery, attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. The special circumstance allegation of murder during an attempted robbery was found to be true.
Del Carmen pleaded guilty last year to one count of second-degree murder. Guerrero was convicted in October 2016 of one count each of first-degree murder, robbery, attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.
Garcia and Guerrero were each convicted for robbing a man and a woman near Dockweiler Beach, the prosecutor said.
Co-defendant Alberto Ochoa is awaiting trial.
