Man Convicted of Murder in 2018 Mystery Shooting at Malibu State Park Campground

A Los Angeles jury found a man guilty of second-degree murder on Friday 2018 shooting death about a father camping with his young daughters – and the attempted murders of two young girls – all at a popular state park in Southern California’s Malibu area.

It was one of a a rash of mysterious shootings and burglaries in the area dating back to 2016 suspected of Anthony Rauda was accused in connection with.

Rauda, ​​46, fatally shot Tristan Baudet in the head as the 35-year-old father, a chemist from Irvine, camped in a tent with his daughters on June 22, 2018, at Malibu Creek State Park, about 30 miles northwest of downtown. Los Angeles, the jury ruled.

While the jury also found Rauda guilty of one count of attempted murder for shooting at a vehicle four days before Badette’s murder, he was found not guilty of seven other counts of attempted murder in several other shootings.

However, a jury found him guilty of all five counts of burglary he faced.

At the time, Baudette’s murder — combined with the revelations of other mysterious shootings — shocked the surrounding community and closed the state park for nearly a year. That’s how it turned out do not open again for campers until May 2019.

A jury acquitted Rauda of first-degree murder, but found him guilty of second-degree criminal mischief. He faces 40 years to life in prison and will be sentenced next month.

A first-degree murder conviction requires the government to prove intent and premeditation. Second degree murder does not.

Budette’s daughters, then 2 and 4 years old, were not injured but were believed to be victims of attempted murder. Jurors found Rauda guilty of attempted murder of the girls, but ruled that Rauda did not act intentionally to kill them or with deliberate intent.

Rauda waived his right to appear in court and did not attend Friday’s sentencing. The prosecutor’s office refused to comment on the results.

“I appreciate how thoughtful the jury was,” Rowda’s attorney, Nicholas S. Okorocha, said after the verdict. “The jury did a good job, attentive and detail-oriented.”

During the investigation into Badette’s death and before Rauda’s arrest, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department discovered that there had been at least seven unsolved shootings in the area since November 2016.

Rauda was taken into custody on October 10, 2018, nearly four months after Badet’s murder, in a canyon near the park with a rifle in his backpack. Described by sheriff’s authorities as a “survivor” who lived on the streets, he was initially arrested in connection with several burglaries in the area before he was charged in Badette’s killing and other shootings.

Rauda previously served time in state prison for possession of explosives and later for possession of a loaded weapon, which is illegal for people with felony convictions. He was on probation at the time of his arrest, authorities said.

Much of Malibu Creek State Park, which has served as a filming location for movies and TV shows like “MASH,” has been burned by wildfires.