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Murder suspect
sentenced to 25 years
By Neal Putnam
The Alpine Sun
CHULA VISTA--A murder suspect who was
first spotted in Alpine was sentenced March 24 to nearly 34
years in state prison for killing his girlfriend and setting her
mobile home on fire in 2006.
Larry W. Brown, 47, was given 25 years to life for the
first-degree murder of Vickie Jo Hunter, 52, and Chula Vista
Superior Court Judge Timothy Walsh added eight years
consecutively for his arson conviction. Walsh fined Brown
$10,000.
Walsh imposed an additional eight months consecutively
for Brown speeding away from California Highway Patrol officers
once they spotted him on Willows Road and driving the victim's
car on Dec. 8, 2006. CHP officers knew the car had been missing
since the slaying and fire two days earlier, and tried to pull
him over, but he sped up instead and got on Interstate 8.
Deputy District Attorney Claudine Ruiz said the 33 year, eight
month sentence was the maximum sentence. Ruiz said Brown was
living with
Hunter in her mobile home in Chula Vista and he
strangled her before setting the place on fire. A neighbor saw
him driving away and noticed smoke.
The courtroom was filled with friends and family
members of the victim. Hunter suffered a broken neck and was
dead before the fire was set, said Ruiz.
It isn't known why Brown was in Alpine that day while driving
the victim's white 1989 Toyota Corolla. He might have intended
to flee the state, but he did not testify during his trial and
said nothing at sentencing.
After Brown refused to turn over for the CHP, more
officers pursued him over a 44-mile chase that finally ended
after his car's tires were flattened by a spike strip. Brown
continued driving until the car crashed west of Inkopah Park
Road near the Imperial County line. The car went down an
embankment, and Brown was injured.
A probation officer interviewed Brown following the
jury's convictions on Feb. 23, and he claimed he was framed for
murder. Brown said the slaying was committed by someone else.
The judge gave Brown credits of serving 1,203 days since his
arrest. His attorney could not be reached for comment. The trial
was delayed because Brown fired many attorneys, and for awhile
represented himself but got another lawyer last year. His mother
was the only defense witness called in a trial that began Feb.
1.
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