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Man, 27, Sentenced To Life In Prison For Raping, Murdering Fiancee

MURRIETA (CBS) — A Pala man who raped and fatally stabbed his 27-year- old fiancee in a car outside a Temecula mall was sentenced Friday to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Mickey David Wagstaff, 27, was convicted Dec. 1 of first-degree murder, and jurors found true special circumstance allegations of killing during a sexual assault and killing during a kidnapping in the death of Elizabeth Kellenbarger Amirian.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Mark Mandio imposed the sentence after friends and family of the victim addressed the court, recalling Amirian's life and the effect of losing her.

According to trial testimony, Wagstaff sexually assaulted Amirian while she was locked in his Toyota Previa in a parking garage at The Promenade mall.

The couple had been arguing about marriage plans and whether it was appropriate to have sex before exchanging vows.

Wagstaff forced the victim to stay with him during the two days leading up to the assault, driving to different locations before finally arriving in Temecula. At one point, the defendant bound the woman's ankles to keep her from running away.

Moments after the rape, a sheriff's sergeant -- in response to a request by mall security -- approached Wagstaff's vehicle and tapped on the window to check on the welfare of the occupants.

Sgt. Keith Knotek said that when Wagstaff saw him standing there, the defendant took out a knife and began plunging it into Amirian.

Knotek said he smashed a window and deployed a Taser to stop the attack, which lasted more than a minute.

Amirian, who was stabbed 39 times in the head, back and neck, died at the scene.

Wagstaff's attorney, Deputy Public Defender Renee Rupp, argued that her client had not planned to kill his fiancee but panicked when he saw the law enforcement officer.

(©2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

 

 

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