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Joseph Jimenez Jr., the person who killed a TikTook star and his date at a movie show in 2021, has been sentenced to life in jail with out the potential of parole.
The determination was made throughout a courtroom listening to on Monday. Alongside life with out parole, Joseph was additionally given 100 years to life — that’s 25 years to life for every homicide and an extra 25 years to life for utilizing a firearm within the fee of a felony, in accordance with The Orange County Register.
This comes after the person shot and killed two youngsters — social media star Anthony Barajas, 19, and his date, Rylee Goodrich, 18, on the Regal Edwards Corona Crossings theater in Corona, California whereas watching The Forever Purge. Per experiences, their our bodies weren’t discovered till workers got here to scrub the theater when the screening was completed. Rylee died on the scene and Anthony handed away within the hospital a couple of days later.
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After initially pleading not responsible, Joseph, 23, finally admitted to the killings however claimed madness. During the trial, which happened in December 2023, he claimed he and his pals went to dinner earlier than the film and he started to listen to voices threatening to kill him. He’d been listening to these voices for months, prompting him to purchase a gun for cover.
As the voices progressed all through the movie, he went to get his weapon from the automotive. His pals later left him within the theater “mumbling and talking to himself” whereas they went to the toilet, the arrest affidavit famous. But earlier than they might return in, they noticed him “run outside the theater and run to his vehicle” and drive away.
During his testimony, the shooter mentioned he believed the voices had been coming from actual folks, and the teenagers — who had been on their first date — had been the one others on the film. He allegedly cried earlier than killing them as a result of he understood it was flawed nevertheless it all felt “sort of surreal” and he was “in the heat of the moment.” Meanwhile, considered one of his buddies testified that he’d been giving the teenagers “death stares” all through the horror flick, muttering, “I can’t do that to them,” per ABC7. But Joseph’s good friend didn’t know he had a gun on him or he would have sought assist.
Standing up for Joseph, his sister Daisy Jimenez claimed he was recognized with schizophrenia with paranoid hallucinations following a number of stays in psychological well being services. He started listening to voices after his mom’s dying. But through the trial, a decide dominated that he was sane. Ultimately, the decide and jury each determined that whereas he was schizophrenic, his determination to not often take his treatment or keep away from medication mixed together with his conduct earlier than and after the capturing couldn’t be ignored, leading to his sentencing.
Outside the courthouse, Anthony’s mom Catherine Barajas expressed through Fox 11 Los Angeles:
“I’m very happy […] that this part is over. It’s time to close this chapter and focus on our son and to carry on his legacy. We’re going to do that by continuing to do small acts of kindness one at a time to make a difference in the world.”
Our ideas and prayers go to the victims’ family members. We hope this helps them as they proceed to mourn these losses.
To study extra concerning the affect of gun violence, go to https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/gun-violence.
[Image via GoFundMe & Anthony Barajas/Instagram & Fox 11 Los Angeles/YouTube]
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