Killer Gets 27 Years
A man who shot his 14-year-old girlfriend three times in the head and left her body in a trash bin was sentenced Friday to 27 years to life in state prison.
Eddie Hollingsworth III, 25, of Southeast San Diego, was found guilty of first-degree murder by San Diego Superior Court Judge David Gill on March 26, after he had waived his right to a jury trial.
The body of Shawana Thomas, wrapped in a bloody blanket, was found in a trash bin Aug. 4 by two people searching for cans to recycle.
Hollingsworth and Thomas were living together at the time. The defendant’s uncle testified that Hollingsworth admitted killing someone at the time, saying he referred to the victim as “homegirl.”
At his trial, Hollingsworth testified that he shot his girlfriend in self-defense after she pulled a knife on him.
The trash bin where the body was found was a short distance from their apartment.
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