Inglewood teacher who killed one prostitute and sexually assaulted another dies while awaiting sentencing – Daily Breeze

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 Aug. 13, according to the Los Angeles County coroner. His 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 fingerprints 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.”