A person, who shot and killed a TikTok star and an 18-year-old faculty scholar at a Corona movie show three years in the past, was sentenced Monday to life in jail with out risk of parole.
Joseph Jimenez Jr., 23, was sentenced in a Riverside courtroom. He was convicted throughout a December trial of two counts of first-degree homicide, in addition to a sentencing enhancement of non-public use of a firearm inflicting demise.
On July 26, 2021, Jimenez shot 19-year-old TikTok star Anthony Barajas and faculty sophomore Rylee Goodrich, each of Corona, throughout a displaying of the movie “The Endlessly Purge” on the Regal Edwards Corona Crossings theater, in line with authorities. Six individuals have been within the viewers for the 9:35 p.m. displaying; Barajas and Goodrich have been on their first date.
In what authorities described as an “unprovoked assault,” Jimenez went to his automobile and obtained a bag containing a gun. He sneaked up behind the victims because the credit rolled and opened fireplace. Investigators stated there was no indication Jimenez knew the victims or had any interplay with them earlier than the capturing.
Barajas was shot “execution-style” and Goodrich was additionally shot point-blank within the head, authorities stated. Goodrich died on the scene, and Barajas died days later at a hospital after being taken off life help.
Jimenez was arrested the day after the capturing after his pals advised police he left the theater midway by the film and returned with a bag holding a “strap,” in line with a search warrant. Investigators discovered a gun that matched the weapon used within the capturing, in addition to extra proof at Jimenez’s home.
Jimenez initially pleaded not responsible by cause of madness and stated throughout his madness trial that he was not taking his schizophrenia remedy the day of the killings and heard voices in his head from “Abigail” and one other particular person saying that the victims have been harmful.
In a jailhouse interview with the Riverside Press-Enterprise, Jimenez stated that he had been just lately identified with schizophrenia however that he had stopped taking his remedy as a result of he ran out of tablets. Jimenez advised the newspaper that the one approach he may save himself from the victims was to shoot them.
Jimenez was dominated sane by Superior Courtroom Choose Timothy J. Hollenhorst in December.
Throughout the trial, Hollenhorst stated his choice to search out Jimenez sane was influenced by the truth that he stole Goodrich’s pockets after the capturing and had a “regular interplay” with a feminine concession employee earlier than the film, through which he requested her for her telephone quantity. Hollenhorst additionally identified that Jimenez warned his pals concerning the capturing, ran out of an emergency exit door afterward and didn’t instantly inform Corona police concerning the voices.
“There isn’t a query that the defendant suffers from schizophrenia. … It is usually clear to this courtroom that the defendant was not treating his psychological well being points appropriately by not recurrently taking his remedy,” Hollenhorst stated on the time.
Barajas was recognized on TikTok as itsanthonymichael and had almost 1,000,000 followers on the social media platform. He had attended Mater Dei Excessive College in Santa Ana.
Goodrich was a sophomore at Grand Canyon College. Her household stated she and Barajas went to the theater on a primary date after Barajas had simply returned from a visit to Hawaii.
