| For Immediate Release Case # 83F02822 July 5, 2011 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
PAROLE HEARING FOR MAN CONVICTED OF 1983 BEATING-MURDER OF GIRLFRIEND’S 7-MONTH-OLD BABY CONTINUED TO 2016
*OCDA appeared to oppose parole for the murderer
SANTA ANA – The Board of Parole Hearings, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations continued the parole hearing today to 2016 for a man who beat and murdered his girlfriend’s 7-month-old baby in 1983. Anthony Mahmoud Fathi, 52, is currently being held at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, CA, and was scheduled for a parole hearing today. Prior to the hearing, Fathi conceded that his parole would be denied based on his recent disciplinary history while incarcerated and stipulated to a 5-year continuance.
Fathi was found guilty by a jury on June 17, 1985, of first degree murder and was sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison on July 25, 1985. His conviction was overturned on appeal and Fathi was re-tried by the OCDA. He was found guilty by jury in his re-trial of second degree murder on April 2, 1990, and was sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison on July 29, 1985. Deputy District Attorney James Cloninger prosecuted the re-trial.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Paul Chrisopoulos appeared at the hearing today to oppose parole for Fathi.
Circumstances of the Murder
On Nov. 29, 1983, Fathi was living with his girlfriend, her 7-month-old baby Daniel Teodurezcu, and two roommates in a Costa Mesa apartment. The baby’s mother left the victim in Fathi’s care for 15 minutes while she showered. During that time, Fathi inflicted a hard blow to the baby’s stomach causing injuries including bruises on his abdomen, three fractured ribs, an internal 5-centimeter tear, swelling to the abdominal cavity caused by the containment of fluid, and bleeding to his rectal area.
Teodurezcu’s mother observed that evening that her baby had injuries to his stomach and was having difficulty breathing. She took him to the hospital with her two roommates, but the inmate refused to go. He delayed the victim from receiving medical attention by struggling with his girlfriend to prevent her from taking the baby to the hospital.
Once at the hospital, the Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) was contacted to investigate a possible case of child abuse based on the extent and nature of the baby’s injuries. Teodurezcu died early in the morning on Nov. 30, 1983.
In a subsequent investigation by CMPD, it was determined that on several occasions prior to the murder, the inmate had struck Teodurezcu and bit his cheeks and legs, causing severe bruising. Fathi had previously told his girlfriend that he could not move back to Iran with a woman who had a child from another man, implying that he did not want her to have the child. Fathi also told his girlfriend prior to the murder that she was not allowed to work because it was against his beliefs.