Defendants Get Life in Sacramento Murder Case

Sacramento County District Attorney Jan Scully announced that Defendants Zachary Tyler, David Griffin, Lashea Merritt, and Kimberly Knorr were all sentenced today to life in prison by the Honorable Judge Cheryl C. Meegan. Last May, co-defendant Jordan Kidd was sentenced to 65 years to life, plus fourteen years.


The defendants were convicted of multiple violent crimes after a home invasion robbery in South Sacramento on January 22, 2007. A female victim was kidnapped from the home, taken to several locations against her will, sexually assaulted, then shot and left to die in a field. She survived after emergency surgery. Separate juries found the crimes were committed in association with the 29th Street Crips gang.

Defendant Zachary Tyler was sentenced to 65 years to life, plus 55 years and 4 months. His sentence included terms for two additional cases: an attempted murder and robbery of a separate victim on January 29, 2007, and another robbery from July 25, 2006.

Defendant David Griffin was sentenced to 65 years to Life, plus 19 years, 8 months. Griffin was 17 years old at the time of the offenses and tried as an adult in this case. His sentence includes a term for one additional case: an attempted murder and robbery for a crime committed against a separate victim on January 29, 2007 (the same crime as that committed by his co-defendant Tyler).

Defendant Lashea Merritt was sentenced to 65 years to Life, plus 30 years. Merritt was fifteen years old at the time of the offense and was tried as an adult in this case. Defendant Kimberly Knorr was sentenced to 15 years to Life, plus 20 years.