A man convicted of fatally stabbing his 5-year-old niece in Compton was sentenced Thursday to 31 years to life in state prison.
Julian Carter, 29, was found guilty Feb. 20 of second-degree murder for Mireya Nila McCall’s death.
The first jury deadlocked on whether Carter was sane or insane at the time of the crime, with a second jury deliberating about a half a day before finding that he was sane.
The little girl was reported missing June 13, 2010, by her mother.
Her body was later found stuffed in trash bag in a bedroom closet in the family’s apartment in the 1100 block of East Peck Street. She had been stabbed in the throat.
Carter — who had been living with his sister, niece and other family members — was arrested the same day and has remained jailed since then.
The motive for the girl’s killing was not clear.
— City News Service