Neil Graham Revill convicted of murdering Al Jarreau's niece
Paranoid mental state
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—A British national was convicted today of murdering two people, including the niece of singer Al Jarreau, at a condominium in Tujunga more than nine years ago.
The Los Angeles Superior Court jury deliberated about six days before finding Neil Graham Revill, 38, guilty of first-degree murder for the slaying of Kimberly Crayton and of second-degree murder for Arthur Davodian's killing.
The two were found stabbed to death on Oct. 11, 2001, in the condominium in the 10100 block of Commerce Avenue, where Crayton's 14-month-old baby was found crying.
Jurors found true the special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, for which Revill is expected to face life in prison without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors had previously opted not to seek the death penalty.
Along with the murder charges, jurors convicted Revill of two drug counts.
Judge Larry Paul Fidler declared a mistrial on a fifth count after the jury's foreperson reported the panel was deadlocked on a charge alleging that Revill assaulted a man about a month and a half after the slayings.
One of Revill's attorneys, Michael M. Crain, said he was "very disappointed'' with the verdict.
"I don't think he committed the crime,'' Crain said shortly after the jury's decision was announced, adding that he believed the forensic evidence showed that someone else was responsible for the killings.
Prosecutors maintained that DNA evidence, including a blood drop from Revill that was found on the toddler's dress, linked him to the killings.
Crayton was stabbed 19 times and Davodian—who had been beheaded—was stabbed 14 times.
"Kimberly fought for her life,'' Deputy District Attorney Keri Modder told jurors in her opening statement, noting that the 20-year-old woman had defensive wounds that would demonstrate that she tried to fight off her attacker.
Revill's "paranoid mental state,'' which was caused by methamphetamine use, led him to inaccurately believe that Davodian was setting him up to be killed by someone else, according to Deputy District Attorney Phil Stirling.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — A 60-year-old woman was ordered today to stand trial for the shooting death of her 79-year-old aunt, who was the mother of a Los Angeles Police Department training officer.
Barbara Jean Davenport is charged with murder and robbery in connection with the June 2, 2012, slaying of Cleo Hughes.
The murder charge includes the special circumstance allegation that Hughes was killed during a robbery or attempted robbery.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—A second defendant was charged today with murder in the May 8 killing of an MTV music coordinator in the Mid-Wilshire area, along with the slaying of another man about a week earlier.
Jabaar Vincent Thomas, 26, pleaded not guilty during an appearance before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Upinder S. Kalra, who ordered Thomas and co-defendant Destiny Young, 30, to remain jailed without bail.
They are charged with the slaying of Gabriel Aron Ben-Meir, along with the April 30 killing of a 35-year-old man in the Pico-Union area.
Trial proceedings for alleged “Grim Sleeper” defendant Lonnie David Franklin Jr. accelerated this past Thursday when Superior Court Judge Patricia M. Schnegg unsealed an indictment from the Los Angeles County Grand Jury.
This, in turn, paved the way for Franklin’s arraignment, where he was formally charged with the murders of at least 11 victims, most them young Black women, over a 20-year period, from 1985 to 2007. A twelfth victim survived after being raped and shot in November of 1988.
PALMDALE, Calif.—A 51-year-old Antelope Valley man was arrested last night on suspicion of murdering his 41-year-old girlfriend, who was found stabbed to death in her Palmdale home, authorities said this morning.
Kenneth Roger Griffin walked into the Palmdale Sheriff Station to speak to detectives at 7:45 p.m. Monday, when he was arrested, said Deputy Benjamin Grubb of the Los Angeles County sheriff's headquarters bureau.
COMPTON, Calif. — A teenage girl was convicted today of two counts of first-degree murder for her role in the killings of her mother and stepfather in the family’s Compton mobile home.
Jurors deliberated for about four hours before reaching a verdict in the trial of Cynthia Alvarez, 16.
