Man convicted of murder and sexual assault dies in LA prison

A former Inglewood middle school teacher who was convicted of murdering a 21-year-old woman in Gardena in 2005 and sexually assaulting another woman in Los Angeles nearly a year and a half later has died in prison while awaiting sentencing.

Charles A. Wright, 59, died in jail on August 13, according to the Los Angeles County coroner. The cause of death was listed as deferred pending further investigation.

According to jail records, Wright was being held at the Inmate Reception Center in downtown Los Angeles pending sentencing on September 10.

Wright faced a sentence of 50 years to life in prison. Last month, he was found guilty of first-degree murder in connection with the April 26, 2005, strangulation of Pertina Epps, and kidnapping for the purpose of oral sex and forced oral sex in connection with an attack on an 18-year-old woman on Sept. 17, 2006, prosecutors said.

Epps' body was found by a resident in an empty parking lot in the 2700 block of 141st Place as he pulled out of a carport, authorities said.

“During a 2021 review of this case by the Sheriff's Homicide Unsolved Unit, forensic evidence left at the crime scene was resubmitted for examination using state-of-the-art technology,” said Deputy Alejandra Parra of the Sheriff's Information Bureau in January 2022. “DNA and fingerprint evidence were determined to be consistent with suspect Charles Wright.”

In August 2022, Lt. Hugo Reynaga of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department described the victims as “known prostitutes” and said evidence obtained during the investigation indicated that “in both cases, prostitutes were likely the target.”

Wright – a longtime middle school teacher – was still working for the Inglewood Unified School District at the time of his arrest in January 2022 and was released from custody on $1 million bail, according to the sheriff's lieutenant.

Five days after Wright's release from prison, an analysis of DNA evidence seized from the September 2006 attack identified Wright as the “likely perpetrator,” the lieutenant said in August 2022.

He was subsequently rearrested and charged with both crimes, Reynaga said at the time.

According to prison records, Wright has been behind bars without bail ever since.

Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Þjórsárden | on facebook. | Instagram | TikTok