Palm Desert man who beat elderly woman to death sentenced to 25 years to life in prison
Jesus Reyes
INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A man who fatally beat a 77-year-old woman living in the same Palm Desert apartment complex was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
Ryan Alkana, 38, was officially sentenced Tuesday morning. He was convicted of murder and a sentence-enhancing allegation of using a weapon during a felony in April 2023.
He was initially arrested on suspicion of the attempted murder of Mary Louise Brown, who was found lying face-down in a pool of blood on Jan. 31, 2019, inside a laundry room at the apartment complex in the 7400 block of Candlewood Street.
Brown died on Feb. 19, 2019, at Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, leading prosecutors to amend the charge to murder, with a sentence enhancement of using a weapon in the killing.
During a preliminary hearing, Riverside County Sheriff’s Investigator Matthew Diaz said Alkana admitted to the attack while in custody.
“He said he used a metal carabiner and a towel wrapped around it as to not injure his hand,” Diaz said. “He said he used a closed fist 20 to 30 times.”
Deputies who testified also said Alkana changed his story multiple times during interviews.
Alkana is due to return to court for a trial on January 22 related to a crime that happened in jail after the murder.