A California transient known as the “Malibu Sniper,” was found guilty of second-degree murder on Friday, May 26.
Anthony Rauda, 46, had been charged with killing Tristan Beaudette, 36, a pharmaceutical scientist who was camping with his two young daughters.
The jury also convicted Rauda on five counts of commercial burglary, three counts of attempted murder, while acquitting him of seven other attempted murder charges.
The series of shootings occurred at Malibu Creek State Park in the Santa Monica hills, starting in November 2016. Rauda targeted unsuspecting campers sleeping at the park and fired shots at passing motorists nearby, causing widespread fear and panic. The prosecution sought a first-degree murder charge for Beaudette’s death, who was shot in the early hours of June 22, 2018, while sharing a tent with his daughters, aged two and four. However, the jury ultimately convicted Rauda of second-degree murder in this case.
Tristan Beaudette had taken his kids on a camping trip before their planned move to the San Francisco Bay Area. Beaudette’s wife did not join them on the trip, as she was preparing for an exam. The two girls were unharmed but were considered victims of attempted murder.
The jury ruled that Rauda had not premeditated the attempt on the girls’ lives.
During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence establishing Rauda’s pattern of stalking and preying on campers in the State Park, which began with a man being shot while sleeping in a hammock in November 2016. The shootings typically occurred between 3 am and 5 am when people are usually in their deepest sleep, according to the prosecutor.
Notably, Rauda did not appear physically in the courtroom.
Rauda’s defense attorney, Nicholas C. Okorocha, expressed appreciation for the jury’s careful and detail-oriented approach, remarking on their diligence in reaching a verdict.
Rauda is scheduled to be sentenced on June 7, facing a potential prison term of 40 years to life.
