Suspect in brutal LA rape of woman walking in Venice Canals charged with murder after her death

On Tuesday, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced that a man accused of violently raping two women in the Venice Canals area in April was being additionally charged with murder with special circumstances after one of his victims passed away. Sara Alden, 53, died on May 24 as a result of the injuries allegedly inflicted upon her during the attack.

Anthony Jones, 29, was originally charged with two counts of forcible rape, one count of sexual penetration by use of force, one count of mayhem, one count of torture, and one count of sodomy by use of force. He is being held without bail.

In a press release, Gascón's office explained that "the murder is alleged to have occurred during the course of rape and sodomy," noting that if found guilty, Jones would spend the rest of his life behind bars. He is due to appear in court on June 11 at the Airport Courthouse for a preliminary hearing. 

"Our hearts and deepest sympathies go out to the victim’s family and friends during this unimaginably tragic time," Gascón said. "We are committed to seeking justice for both victims of these heinous crimes. The additional murder charge carries a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, in addition to the life sentences for the crimes previously alleged."

As KTLA5 reports, Alden and the other victim, 54-year-old Mary Klein, were attacked while out for a walk in separate incidents in the Venice Canals area on the night of April 6. In both cases, the women were allegedly raped by Jones, who also assaulted them.

Klein told reporters that Jones, who was believed to have been homeless, approached her from behind and "bashed" her, leaving her with bruises all over her body. She survived the attack.

Alden, who had recently moved to Los Angeles from Massachusetts and lived along the canals, was beaten so badly that she was eventually declared brain dead. She died in hospital after being taken off life support. A family friend created a GoFundMe for Alden’s sons, which has received over $42,000 in donations as of Wednesday morning.