Ryan Alkana Admits Murdering 77-Year-Old Palm Desert Woman

PALM DESERT, CA — A 36-year-old man who fatally beat a 77-year-old woman living in the same Palm Desert apartment complex pleaded guilty to murder Wednesday.

During a hearing Wednesday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, Ryan Alkana additionally admitted to a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a weapon during a felony, according to court records. He's set to be sentenced April 26.

He was initially arrested on suspicion of the attempted murder of Mary Louise Brown, who was found lying face-down in a pool of blood on Jan. 31, 2019, inside a laundry room at the apartment complex in the 7400 block of Candlewood Street.

Brown died on Feb. 19, 2019, at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, leading prosecutors to amend the charge to murder, with a sentence enhancement of using a weapon in the killing.

During a preliminary hearing, Riverside County Sheriff's Investigator Matthew Diaz said Alkana admitted to the attack while in custody.

"He said he used a metal carabiner and a towel wrapped around it as to not injure his hand," Diaz said. "He said he used a closed fist 20 to 30 times."

Deputies who testified also said Alkana changed his story multiple times during interviews.

At one point, the suspect said Brown "made a move toward (Alkana)" in the laundry room, "and to defend himself, he beat her," Diaz said.

But Alkana also said the impetus behind the attack was witnessing Brown watch young children at the complex pool while wearing dark sunglasses, according to Deputy William Adams, who quoted the defendant as saying, "She's a pedophile and a rapist so I beat the (expletive) out of her. I know she deserved it."