Serial burglar who killed father of 2 in California state park sentenced to life in prison
A California man convicted of murdering a father as he slept next to his two daughters in a state park was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison.
Anthony Rauda, 46, received a sentence of 119 years to life behind bars.
Rauda was convicted last month of killing Tristan Beaudette on June 22, 2018, in Malibu Creek State Park. Beaudette was camping in the park with his two daughters, who were 2 and 4 years old at the time. They were sleeping in a tent when Rauda opened fire on it. One bullet struck Beaudette in the head, killing him. The girls were not physically harmed.
Prior to the shooting, gunfire was reported numerous times between 2016 and 2018 in Malibu Creek State Park, about 30 miles west of downtown Los Angeles. Multiple people said they were shot at while driving near the park.
There were also a series of violent burglaries in the area, with witnesses saying they spotted a man with a mask and gun smashing windows and stealing food.
Rauda remained on the loose for months after Beaudette was killed. Cops arrested him in October 2018, but initially only charged him with some of the burglaries. Months later, in January 2019, he was formally accused of killing Beaudette.
Four years and five months later, he was convicted on one count of second-degree murder, three counts of attempted murder and five counts of burglary.
The jury acquitted Rauda on seven other counts of attempted murder, but he will still spend the rest of his life in California state prison.
With News Wire Services
