Jurors: 'Riverside Man Should Be Put To Death For Murdering, Torching Ex In Front Of Her 6 Children'
RIVERSIDE (CBSLA.com) — Jurors decided the fate of a 41-year-old man Friday who murdered and lit his former girlfriend on fire in front of her children.
According to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office, jurors decided Tyrone Harts, of Riverside, will be sentenced to death early next year.
Jurors began their deliberations mid-afternoon on Thursday, and reached their decision mid-morning on Friday.
At the time of the murder, the children ranged in ages from six to 15-years-old.
On Feb. 21, 2011, Harts shot his former girlfriend, Brandi Morales, inside of her Moreno Valley home she shared with her six children.
Around 12:30 a.m., Morales' two oldest children were woken up by their mother's screams coming from the upstairs master bedroom.
Police said the oldest boy grabbed a knife from the kitchen on his way to see what was wrong.
Once inside the room, the boy saw his mother being held down and Harts fired a handgun in his direction.
According to authorities, the shots woke up the four younger children, who saw their mother being lit on fire after checking to see what caused the noise, the district attorney's office explained.
In an attempt to save her, the children filled cups with water to try and put out the fire.
When officers arrived to the scene, Morales was pronounced dead.
According to the coroner's office, an autopsy revealed that she suffered from a gunshot wound to her torso, and had first and second-degree burns over about 60 percent of her body.
Officers explained on the night of the murder, Harts called the home and spoke to each of the children. He reportedly asked one to leave the sliding glass door unlocked.
Harts lived at the residence before the couple broke off their relationship, several weeks before the murder took place.
On Oct. 30, jurors convicted Harts of one count each of murder and attempted murder, five counts of felony child endangerment and one count of being a felon in possession of a handgun.
According to the district attorney, jurors found truth in the special circumstance allegation of lying in wait, which made him eligible for the death penalty.
They heard testimony during the penalty phase before deciding Harts should be sentenced to death.
Harts was ordered to return for a formal sentencing arraignment on Jan. 30, 2015.
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