A 45-year-old man entered a no contest plea today for the shooting death of his live-in girlfriend near the Porter Ranch house they shared,officials said.
Deputy District Attorney Julie Kramer said Joseph Defalco pleaded to one count of second-degree murder and admitted using a firearm.
Defalco will face a 25 years-to-life prison sentence on Mar. 7 in Department N of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, San Fernando Branch.
On June 14, 2013, the defendant shot Ann Risa Suggs, 52, twice in the head and then shot himself before retreading to their residence on the 19000 block of Kenya Street, the prosecutor said. After a standoff with police of over five hours, Defalco was arrested and treated for his injuries, the prosecutor added.
According to evidence presented at the preliminary hearing, the defendant and the victim had dated for approximately 20 years and lived together for more than two years when the murder occurred.
A motive was not known.
