San Diego

A transient who stabbed a woman to death in front of her young daughters and killed a Hillcrest man 10 days earlier was sentenced Friday to 52 years to life in state prison.

Thomas Jon Kemp, 27, received the consecutive terms for the Nov. 28, 1988, murder of Gerilee (Jane) Bertrand, 34, and the Nov. 18, 1988, stabbing of Chester (Earl) Grandison, 38.

On the eve of his jury trial last week, Kemp pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder.

The district attorney’s office had filed special circumstances allegations and was planning to seek the death penalty had Kemp been convicted of multiple murders.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert Madruga said the pleas were accepted because Bertrand’s daughters were frightened about testifying in court and reliving the trauma of witnessing their mother die.

When asked by Superior Court Judge J. Richard Haden if he wished to speak, Kemp said: “I have nothing to say.”

At the sentencing was Bertrand’s mother, who also was present when she was stabbed, and the two daughters.

Bertrand was stabbed after she and Kemp, who had been living with her in National City, argued over a radio. She told him she had called the police because of the disturbance he was causing, and he took out a knife and stabbed her in the heart.

After his arrest, police discovered the key to Grandison’s apartment complex gate in Kemp’s pocket.

Grandison was stabbed 18 times and his nude body was found by his roommate.

Kemp’s bare footprints were also found in Grandison’s bathroom.