Ex-Marine Convicted Of Rape, Murder Of SoCal Masseuse In 1975
SAN DIEGO (CBS) — A former Camp Pendleton Marine is behind bars Tuesday after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting and murdering a Southland masseuse nearly four decades ago.
KNX 1070's Brian Ping reports Luz Borrayo was strangled inside a downtown San Diego massage parlor nearly 36 years ago.
Podcast
The case went cold until 2003, when DNA identification technology linked the killing to Leon Johnson, 58 who was already serving a life sentence for murdering a store clerk in Mississippi in 1982.
Johnson faces seven years to life in this case when he will be sentenced next month.
Prosecutors say Johnson and a fellow Marine entered the Twilight Massage Parlor the night of November 22, 1975. Less than an hour later, a co- worker found Borrayo unconscious with her dress wrapped tightly around her neck.
Johnson's attorneys maintain the parlor was a front for prostitution, and it was impossible to prove that their client committed the murder since the DNA from a number of males was found in the parlor's back room.
