LAKEPORT ? Hidden Valley Lake resident James Pagan was sentenced to 29 years to life in prison Monday for the March 21, 2008 fatal stabbing of Tessa Faith Walker, 10, and for assault with a knife on her older sister, Kristen Marie Walker, 14.
Pagan, 32, pleaded guilty April 13 to the first-degree murder and the assault. He attacked the sisters near their home in the gated community of Hidden Valley Lake while they walked home from a friend”s house. Tessa Walker was stabbed 35 times, and Kristen Walker, who has Downs Syndrome, was stabbed once in her back, according to a summary Lake County Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff read in court.
“This murder was one of the most sadistic, gruesome and callous murders ever committed in Lake County,” Hinchcliff said.
Hinchcliff told the court Pagan had no prior relationship with the girls, and the only motive he could think of was that Pagan wanted attention. He said the death penalty could not be considered in this case.
“The court has reports from mental health professionals that indicate James has a history of mental health issues. Did they rise to the level of insanity? For legal definition, no, but he does have a history of mental health issues,” Pagan”s defense attorney, Ken Roush, said.
Roush continued, “We don”t have the traditional fact pattern where homicide under these circumstances was a foreseeable outcome. We don”t have any prior relationship, we don”t have any heat of passion circumstances, we don”t have any revenge or attempted crimes that backfired and escalated.”
Roush said Pagan”s mental issues needed to be taken into consideration in the sentencing, along with Pagan”s lack of a prior criminal record. Roush argued for the mid-term of three years for the assault.
Roush said Pagan had been diagnosed with a schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder, and had been on medications “for a good portion of his life.”
Lake County Superior Court Judge Arthur Mann presided over the hearing. When he accepted Pagan”s plea last month, Mann also found that Pagan was sane when he committed the crimes. Mann based his finding on the reports of psychologists Thomas Cushing and John Podboy, and on a report from psychiatrist Douglas Rosoff.
Pagan faced a potential sentence of 30 years to life, according to Hinchcliff. The first-degree murder charge carried a sentence of 25 years to life, with a year added for Pagan”s admitted use of a knife. Mann added the mid-term of three years for the assault charge, which Pagan will be required to serve before his sentence begins for the murder charge. Hinchcliff said Pagan will be required to serve 29 years in state prison before he is eligible for parole.
Roush said Pagan repeatedly asked the Walker family”s forgiveness in a statement he wrote for the probation report that contained a recommendation that probation be denied.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com, or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
