Pasadena man found guilty of murdering ex-girlfriend, whose body was found in her car

A jury on June 19 found a Pasadena man guilty of murdering the mother of his two children, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. The woman's body was discovered in 2015 inside her vehicle in Monrovia, 

The jury deliberated about eight hours before finding Jose Roberto Turner, 49, guilty of first-degree murder for killing 31-year-old LaJoya Kamiel McCoy, with an allegation that he used a rope as a deadly weapon.

Family members reported McCoy missing June 12, 2015, after she did not show up for some appointments, according to law enforcement officials. She had last been seen the week before. 

The day she was reported missing, police went to her apartment, where they found evidence of foul play. On June 16, McCoy was found inside her vehicle, prosecutors said.

According to evidence presented at trial, Turner strangled and stabbed McCoy on June 10, 2105. He had previously threatened McCoy’s life after their relationship ended, prosecutors said. 

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @jeromercampbell and @latimeshomicide on Twitter.