| For Immediate Release December 8th, 2005 |
Contact: | Susan Kang Schroeder Deputy District Attorney (714) 347-8408 Office (714) 292-2718 Cell |
GARDEN GROVE MAN CHARGED WITH MURDERING A 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL AND RAPING AND SEXUALLY ASSAULTING THREE OTHER YOUNG WOMEN
SANTA ANA – The Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced today the filing of charges on car salesman Jonathan Tran, 20, of Garden Grove, for murder, two counts of forcible rape, one count of oral copulation under color of authority involving four different young women. Tran was in court in Santa Ana, Central Justice Center, C-55, this morning and will be back in court on December 21, 2005 to be arraigned on the new charges. If convicted of all charges, Tran faces 55 years in state prison to life.
On January 19, 2004 around 7 p.m., 15-year-old Hanna Montessouri, a runaway from Georgia, was working as a prostitute in the area of Harbor and 5th Street in Santa Ana. Tran is accused of picking up Montessouri in his truck. A few minutes later, a witness heard a “thump” as a truck drove by. The witness found Montessouri bleeding profusely from the head. She died before she arrived at the hospital.
A joint investigation between the Santa Ana Police Department and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office revealed other incidents involving Tran. Tran is charged with forcible rape at gunpoint occurring in December, 2003 involving Jane Doe #1, who was then-17 years old. Tran is accused of picking up and pretending to make a deal with Doe #1 to engage in prostitution in the area of Harbor and 5th Street in Santa Ana. Tran is accused of driving her to a designated place, raping her at gunpoint, and then robbing her of the money she was carrying. Tran is accused of committing an almost identical crime against Jane Doe #2 on January 15, 2004, who was 18 years old at the time of the incident.
Tran is also charged with oral copulation under color of authority occurring in September, 2005 on Jane Doe #3, who was 16 years old at the time of the incident. Tran is accused of picking up and pretending to make a deal with Doe #3 to engage in prostitution in the area of Harbor at 5th Street in Santa Ana. Tran is accused of driving her to a designated place, showing her a badge, telling her she had to orally copulate him instead of getting arrested.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Larry Yellin of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting the case. Anyone with information about any of these incidents is urged to contact Santa Ana Police Department Detective Dean Fulcher at 714-245-8359.
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