Man sentenced in the ax murder of his friend whose body was dumped in canyon
A man accused of fatally assaulting his friend with an ax and then dumping his body in Azusa Canyon was sentenced to 26 years to life in state prison.
Phillip Von Wade, 22, pleaded no contest last month to one count of first-degree murder and admitted the special allegation of personally using a deadly and dangerous weapon, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. He was sentenced on Monday.
On Sept. 5, 2016, Wade lured Rahkeem Reyes, a professional dancer who went by the name “Rocky,” to his house. The defendant had promised Reyes that he would make him a Batman suit for a convention but never produced it, the prosecutor said. Instead, he killed him with a homemade ax.
Reyes’ body was found five days later in Azusa Canyon.
Twitter: @Brittny_Mejia
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
