Local News in Brief : D.A. Won’t Challenge Life Term for Killer

The Ventura County district attorneys’ office will not seek a new penalty trial for a Van Nuys man convicted of murder, a spokesman said Friday.

Prosecutors had sought the death penalty in the case, but a Ventura Superior Court jury on May 14 deadlocked on the issue, voting 7 to 5 in favor of life in prison without parole for Arthur Ankerstrom, 60, who was convicted in April of killing an Ojai Valley restaurant manager. The district attorney’s decision means that Ankerstrom will be sentenced to life in prison without parole.

“We presented the strongest case possible, and it’s doubtful that another jury would agree on the death penalty,” Chief Deputy Dist. Atty. Vince O’Neill said.

“Although the case merits the death penalty, we are comfortable with a life without parole sentence.”

According to authorities, Ankerstrom shot George Timothy Murray, 30, once in back of the head with a .45-caliber automatic pistol. Murray’s body was discovered in a walk-in refrigerator at the Deer Lodge restaurant in Meiners Oaks near Ojai, with his hands tied behind his back with wire.

Ankerstrom had stolen $3,500 from the restaurant, and investigators later traced the money to two bank accounts, O’Neill said. Ankerstrom is being held without bail in Ventura County Jail pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled.