The gunman who fatally shot an influencer and a college student inside a California movie theater in 2021 learned his fate at a sentencing hearing Monday.
Joseph Jimenez Jr., 23, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the brutal murders of Riley Goodrich, 18, and Anthony Barajas, 19, while they were on their first date.
On July 26, 2021, teens were shot in the back of the head during a late-night screening of the horror film “The Forever Purge” at the Regal Edwards Corona Crossing in Los Angeles, prosecutors said.
Goodrich, a sophomore at Grand Canyon University, died instantly from the gunfire, police said.
Barajas, an up-and-coming TikTok star with more than 1 million followers, was rushed to a hospital and spent five days on life support before passing away.
Jimenez initially pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the cold-blooded murder.
His defense team tried to argue that their client suffers from schizophrenia and stopped taking his medication because it ran out before the shooting.
in prison interview Jimenez claimed in 2021 to the Riverside Press-Enterprise that he heard a voice in his head from “Abigail” and another voice saying the teens were dangerous just before the shooting.
Jimenez told the report that he heard voices telling him the only way to protect himself from the victim was to shoot him.
However, during Jimenez’s trial, Superior Court Judge Timothy J. Hollenhorst ruled that Jimenez was sane during the shooting.
Hollenhorst determined that Jimenez was sane during the murder because the killer had a “normal interaction” with a female concession worker before the screening of the film, during which he asked for the woman’s phone number. The paper reports. LA Times.
The judge also upheld a shared verdict that Mr. Jimenez shot Mr. Goodrich and Mr. Barajas “execution style” and then stole Mr. Goodrich’s wallet.
Hollenhorst added that Jimenez then ran out the emergency exit door but did not immediately tell Corona police about the voices.
“There is no question that the defendant suffers from schizophrenia… nor that the defendant was not properly treating his mental health problems because he was not taking his medication regularly. , it is clear to this court,” Hollenhorst said during the trial.
Carlos Gonzalez, a former friend of Jimenez’s who had gone to the movie with two others, testified during the trial that Jimenez was acting strange on the night of the shooting, muttering to himself during dinner. It was reported. ABC7.
Gonzalez told the court that Jimenez repeatedly told himself during the film, “They can’t do that.”
The exchange leading up to the killing caused friends to walk out of the theater.
Gonzalez said he asked Jimenez to leave with him, but he refused.
A former friend of the gunman added that if he had known Jimenez was planning to kill the couple, he would have done more to stop him.
Aside from the couple, they were the only people in the theater when Jimenez carried out his unprovoked killing.
Jimenez was arrested the next day at his home after his friends reported to police that he had left a movie showing and returned with a bag with a “strap” attached to it.
Police said they found a gun matching the caliber of the murder weapon during his arrest.
Investigators found no connection between Jimenez and the couple.
with post wire
