Hacienda Heights man who killed mother and hid body in trunk sentenced

A man pleaded no contest Monday to murdering his 63-year- old mother — who was found dead in the trunk of her Mercedes-Benz in her Hacienda Heights garage — and was immediately sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

Clifton Huang entered his plea days before he was scheduled to go on trial for the killing of Vilma Chau, whose bound body was discovered on Aug. 29, 2013, by family members worried when she had been out of touch for a few days.

Huang, 47, was at home when deputies arrived, called by other family members who noticed a strong smell coming from the garage. He has been held on bail of about $1 million since his arrest that day.

Prosecutors said Huang had five prior felony convictions in the decade prior to the murder, including unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle, possession of a controlled substance and dissuading a witness from reporting a crime.

— City News Service