MA Mother Of 2 Dies From Injuries In 'Heinous' Sexual Assault

LOS ANGELES, CA — A man suspected of beating and sexually assaulting two women along the Venice Canals in Los Angeles has been charged with murder after one of the women was removed from life support and died from her injuries, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office announced Tuesday.

Police believe Anthony Francisco Jones, 29, attacked the two women on the night of April 6 within an hour of one another. One of the women, 53-year-old Sarah Alden, of Massachusetts, had been in a coma since the attack. She died Friday.

Alden was a mother of two sons and was in the process of moving from Massachusetts to Venice when the attack occurred.

Her children donated her organs, and her loved ones paid tribute to the Massachusetts resident who was killed just as she was planning to start a new chapter of her life on the West Coast.

"She was a lover of sunrises on the east coast and sunsets on the west coast. Sarah homeschooled her two sons, adored her animals, and was blessed with a refined eye for vintage jewelry which she sold on roseark.com," a friend wrote on her GoFundMe page to raise money for her funeral and medical expenses. "At 53 years old, Sarah was looking to start a new chapter in her journey; to walk a new road. Instead, her life was violently taken from her."

Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón called the attacks the "most heinous sexual assaults" he's ever seen.

“Our hearts and deepest sympathies go out to the victim’s family and friends during this unimaginably tragic time,” Gascón said. “We are committed to seeking justice for both victims of these heinous crimes. The additional murder charge carries a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, in addition to the life sentences for the crimes previously alleged.”

Jones was arrested in San Diego days after the attacks. He was originally charged with two counts of forcible rape and one count each of sexual penetration by use of force, mayhem, torture, attempted murder and sodomy by use of force.

The newly filed murder charge includes special circumstance allegations that he committed a forcible rape and forcible sodomy during commission of the killing, according to the District Attorney's Office.

He is due back in court June 11 at the Airport Branch Courthouse, when a date will be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence for him to stand trial. He is being held without bail.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department and prosecutors, the first attack occurred about 10:30 p.m. April 6 in the 2700 block of Strongs Drive, where Alden was approached from behind and struck with a blunt object, leaving Alden unconscious. The suspect similarly attacked another woman about an hour later as she was walking near the Sherman Canal. That woman also suffered severe injuries but survived.

According to the GoFundMe page, Alden was planning to meet two close friends for breakfast on April 7 to tell them she was moving to the Los Angeles area from Massachusetts.

The GoFundMe page to help Alden's family with medical and funeral expenses can be found here.

City News Service contributed to this report.