Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 01/21/04

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Chief Deputy Larry Scoufos Deputy District Attorney: Chief Deputy Ken Gnoss

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

YOUNGER FOUND GUILTY OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER

Today a Sonoma County jury returned a verdict of guilty in the murder trial of defendant Darrell Younger. After three months of hearing evidence, it took the jury less than one day to find Younger guilty of second degree murder in the December 1995 killing of his girlfriend, Heather Moore. Younger was convicted of first degree murder in 1997 when he was tried for the same offense. However, that conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeals because of an alleged faulty instruction given to the jury.

During both trials, the defense claimed that the victim committed suicide rather than died at the hands of the defendant. Both juries rejected such a claim and determined from the evidence that the defendant killed Ms. Moore and then attempted to make the death appear to be a suicide. She was found in the bathroom of the apartment they shared, hanging from a rope secured to the showerhead. There had been a history of domestic violence committed by the defendant against the victim.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Ken Gnoss was the prosecutor in this case. After the verdict, he praised the work of Santa Rosa Police Detective Mike Akin and District Attorney Investigator Roz Eliaser. He was also thankful for the cooperation of the many witnesses called by the prosecution. These witnesses had to recount events that occurred at least eight years prior to their testimony.

Mr. Gnoss stated, "It is gratifying to know that there are now twenty-four members of our community who have concluded that Mr. Younger shall not go unpunished for the murder of Heather Moore."

The defendant is looking at a sentence of fifteen years to life. The sentencing date has been set for March 26, 2004 before Superior Court Judge Raima Ballinger.