DATE: March 18, 2022

CASE: Damion Horton (Case #19FE000631)

PROSECUTOR: Principal Criminal Attorney Allison Dunham, Homicide Unit

The Honorable Ernest Sawtelle sentenced Damion Horton to 76 years and 4 months to life in prison.  On September 13, 2021, a jury convicted Horton of the first-degree murder of Dajha Richards, discharging a firearm causing death and felon in possession of a firearm.  The allegation that Horton suffered a prior 2016 strike conviction for attempted robbery was also found true.

On January 8, 2019, a 12-year-old boy called 911 to report that his 19-year-old sister, Dajha Richards, had been shot in the chest. When sheriff’s deputies arrived on scene, the victim was able to report that the father of her child and boyfriend, Damion Horton, was the person who shot her. The victim was quickly transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.  Immediately after the shooting, Horton fled the scene with the gun leaving the victim alone with their 4-month-old son and her brother. Horton turned himself in more than 24 hours after the victim’s death, but the gun was never recovered.  During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that Horton had an extensive history of domestic violence with the victim.

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