Last Friday, accused killer Michael Gargiulo, who was dubbed the “Hollywood Ripper,” was sentenced to death for brutally killing Ashley Ellerin, 22, in 2001, and Maria Bruno, 32, in 2005.

Gargiulo was thrown into the national spotlight after one of the victims, Ellerin, was found dead just before she was set to go on a date with her then-boyfriend, Ashton Kutcher. The two had been dating for roughly a month and after she didn’t show up for their date, Kutcher walked to her home where he found what he described as spilled wine on the floor after he looked through her window. Authorities later discovered that Ellerin was stabbed 47 times and that the spilled wine Kutcher saw was her blood all over the floor.

Bruno, a mother of four, was also found stabbed and mutilated in her home. Bruno’s estranged husband walked into her home where he discovered her breasts were cut off and her breast implants removed.

Gargiulo, 45, Was found guilty in the murder of the two women in 2019 by a California jury. However, sentencing in his case was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic along with other procedural issues.

During his initial trial, a survivor of one of his attacks also testified against Gargiulo. Michelle Murphy was 27 years old when she woke up in the middle of the night to find Gargiulo hovering over her bed with a knife. Murphy fought him off, and Gargiulo fled from his intended victim’s home. Murphy shared in her testimony against Gargiulo that she fought with everything that she had. Gargiulo was also found guilty of his attack on Murphy.

Before his sentencing last week, Gargiulo expressed his innocence to Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler. Gargiulo explained, "I'm innocent. I've been framed by tunnel-vision detectives.” Gargiulo also expressed his anger at his lawyers who kept him from testifying during the trial. Gargiulo maintained his innocence and explained, “I’m going to death row wrongfully and unjustly. I did want to testify and my fundamental choice was blocked.”

After hearing Gargiulo’s pleas, Judge Fidler described the killings as “completely vicious and frightening.” Fidler added, "In this case, everywhere that Mr. Gargiulo went, death and destruction followed.”

Daniel Nardoni, an attorney representing Gargiulo, said of the verdict, "it's not right to execute a mentally ill person."

The case was brought by the previous Los Angeles County District Attorney, Jackie Lacey. However, this sentencing comes under the administration of the new district attorney, George Gascon. Gascon is known to be a strong advocate against the death penalty and has stated that he "does not believe the death penalty is an appropriate punishment in any case."

Prior to sentencing, Gascon shared a statement with Judge Fidler, and after Fiddler “read and considered the letter,” he chose not to read it in court. Micheal Ellerin, the father of one of Gargiulo’s victims, went on record to voice his frustration at what he called “political intrusion” after Gascon issued his statement to Judge Fidler. Ellerin also shared that Governor Gavin Newsom had "no right to ignore the documented will of the voters" after Newsom imposed a moratorium at the start of the pandemic that put a stop to death penalties in California.

Although Gargiulo has been sentenced to death, it is not likely that he will be executed any time soon. The last execution the state has was in 2006, and since the institution of the death penalty in 1977, the state has only had a total of 13 people on death row executed.

Now that he has been sentenced, Gargiulo is expected to be extradited to Illinois to face allegations of another crime. In 1993, Gargiulo was accused of having killed 18-year-old Tricia Pacaccio on the steps of her home after she graduated from high school. Prosecutors in the California murder case were able to establish a pattern consistent with the serial killer.