Joseph Jimenez Jr: Man who fatally shot 2 teens in California movie theater in 2021 gets life in prison
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Joseph Jimenez Jr, 23, the remorseless gunman behind the fatal shootings of influencer Rylee Goodrich, 18, and TikTok star Anthony Barajas, 19, in a California movie theater, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The ruthless killings occurred during a late-night showing of 'The Forever Purge' on July 26, 2021, at the Regal Edwards Corona Crossings in Los Angeles.
(Corona Police Department)
Jimenez, 23, initially pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, claiming he suffered from schizophrenia and had ceased taking his medication because he ran out of pills before the shooting. However, Superior Court Judge Timothy J Hollenhorst ruled that the suspect was sane during the shootings.
Timeline of Joseph Jimenez Jr's shooting
The judge highlighted Jimenez's "normal interaction" with a female concession worker before the movie where he asked for her phone number and his subsequent actions, including stealing Goodrich's wallet after the "execution-style" murders.
During the trial, Jimenez's former friend, Carlos Gonzalez, testified that he had exhibited strange behavior, muttering to himself at dinner on the night of the shooting, according to ABC 7. The friend revealed that Jimenez said "I can't do that to them" during the film, prompting them to leave the theater.
Gonzalez expressed regret, stating that if he had known Jimenez's deadly intentions, he would have taken more substantial steps to prevent the tragedy.
Judge claims Jimenez Jr did not inform police about auditory hallucinations
Following the unprovoked killings, Jimenez was arrested at his home the next day, where police discovered a gun matching the caliber of the murder weapon. Despite extensive investigations, no connection was found between the suspect and the victims, pointing to the senselessness of the crime.
Judge Hollenhorst further mentioned that, following the incident, Jimenez swiftly exited through an emergency door and did not promptly inform the Corona police about the voices he claimed to have heard. “There is no question that the defendant suffers from schizophrenia… It is also clear to this court that the defendant was not treating his mental health issues appropriately by not regularly taking his medication,” the judge stated during the trial.
