A man who attacked his roommate/girlfriend in her Clairemont home, resulting in her death the next day, was convicted Wednesday of second-degree murder.
David Charles Ashton, 63, faces 15 years to life in prison when he is sentenced April 7 for causing the Jan. 24, 2016, death of Regina Eve Moore.
Deputy District Attorney Nicole Rooney said Moore was sitting on a couch the night of Jan. 23, 2016, when Ashton crossed the room and hit her multiple times. Moore had 26 separate injuries on her body, but the hardest blows were to her head, the prosecutor said.
“It wasn’t just one hit,” Rooney said, telling the jury that the 100-pound victim was unable to defend herself against the much larger defendant.
Ashton broke Moore’s arm, pulled her to the floor, then kicked her, according to the prosecutor.
“He said he hit her because he wanted her to leave,” Rooney told the jury.
After she was beaten, Moore was taken to the Pacific Beach apartment of another boyfriend, John Bartholomae. She died later at a hospital.
Ashton was also involved in three domestic violence incidents involving three other women dating back to 1982, the prosecutor said.
Defense attorney William Nimmo told the jury that Ashton fought with Moore but didn’t intend to kill her.
Ashton was also charged with child molestation for allegedly abusing a step-grandson in 2005-2006.
— City News Service