One of two men accused of killing gas station attendant Leslie Long 36 years ago was convicted of murder by a jury Thursday.
Jurors deliberated for less than a day before finding 60-year-old Neal Antoine Matthews guilty of one count of first-degree murder, Greg Risling, spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced in a news release Thursday.
The panel also found true the special circumstance allegations of murder during a robbery, murder during a kidnapping and murder during a rape, Risling said.
Deputy District Attorney Tannaz Mokayef of the Major Crimes Division prosecuted the case.
Leslie Long was working a night shift on Dec. 3, 1978, when she was robbed and kidnapped.
Authorities began searching for her and three days later her body was found off the 14 Freeway in Acton.
Investigators believe Long was shot and killed at that location.
Also charged in the case was 61-year-old Terry Moses who pleaded guilty to Long’s murder in January 2016. He also admitted the same special circumstance allegations.
DNA evidence tied both men to the murder.
Moses also pleaded guilty to the murders of Carlton Goodwin and Michael Fuqua on Aug. 22, 1976; and to the attempted murder of Kenney Guevara on Dec. 7, 1996.
Moses is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 18 to three terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Matthews also faces life in prison when he is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 6.
The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
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