A man in California has been convicted of murdering his former girlfriend, with chilling evidence tied to her last moments captured in a voicemail.
The grim events unfolded on September 2, 2020, when 25-year-old Laura Sardinia decided to change her apartment lock out of fear of her ex-boyfriend, 39-year-old Craig J. Chalon. Alongside this precaution, she filed restraining orders against him.
On the same day, Sardinia was on a three-way call with her mother and best friend around 1:15 PM, but that call abruptly ended due to shocking circumstances. Chalon had allegedly forced his way into her apartment. In the chaos, Sardinia reportedly screamed, "Oh my god, he’s here!" prompting her friend to hang up and contact emergency services immediately.
Not long after, Sardinia left a cold voicemail message, spanning 37 seconds, capturing her last terrifying moments. According to the Los Angeles Times, she could be heard screaming, "He’s going to kill me!" and also urging someone to "Run away from me!"
When police arrived, they found Sardinia dead, while Chalon had sustained injuries to his chest and neck. During the trial, Chalon’s lawyer claimed he acted in self-defense. However, prosecutors painted a different picture — suggesting that he used a serrated steak knife to inflict harm, then tried to twist the narrative to fit a self-defense claim.
Orange County Deputy District Attorney Janine Madera insisted, "It doesn’t matter if he’s hurt or if she defended herself. He was a 100% time attacker." She highlighted the physical disparity between them—Chalon was significantly larger than Sardinia—which made it implausible for her to have been a threat. Madera vividly described Sardinia’s death as a "serious murder," emphasizing the haunting nature of the voicemail.
Throughout the trial, Chalon struggled to recall many interactions with Sardinia, describing his memories as "hazy." He claimed she threatened him with a knife and insisted he only reacted in self-defense. Notably, Chalon identified himself as a former combat medic rated 100% disabled for psychiatric issues at the U.S. Veterans Affairs Hospital, explaining, "I didn’t fully understand what was going on in that moment."
Behavioral patterns also emerged during the trial as three of Chalon’s former partners testified that they had obtained restraining orders against him, with allegations of choking and physical assaults surfacing. After a brief deliberation, the jury found Chalon guilty of first-degree murder, and he’s facing a lengthy prison sentence, with a sentencing date set for July 25.
