Man Convicted In El Cerrito Rape, Slaying Of Elderly Woman
MARTINEZ (AP) — An East Bay jury has convicted a man in the 2012 kidnapping, rape and murder of an 81-year-old woman who was attacked while taking a morning walk.
"Oh, my God. . They got it wrong!" the defendant, Jonathan Jackson, cried out, sobbing and bowing his head as the guilty verdicts were read Thursday. Nearby in the courtroom gallery, Jackson's mother also sobbed, the East Bay Times reported.
The victim, Sun Yi Kwon, was a spry 81-year-old who lived alone and went on a daily walk each morning.
She was out walking in the early morning of Jan. 28, 2012, in the city of El Cerrito when she was dragged into a secluded area, raped and severely beaten, prosecutors said. Kwon died six months later.
The prosecution theory was that Jackson, 36, spent the night before drinking at home of a cousin in the neighboring city of Richmond but left "in a rage" after a fight with the cousin. He came across Kwon and took his frustration out on her, attacking and leaving her for dead, prosecutors have said.
Jackson was connected to the crime through DNA found in semen at the crime scene.
Jackson testified he was drunk and high on LSD when he came across Kwon's partially nude, lifeless body, and masturbated over her.
© Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
