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Former Cal Fire Captain Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Killing Fiancée and Her Son

The punishment ensures he will never be released from prison.

Overview

  • Darin McFarlin, who was sentenced Monday, received two consecutive life terms without parole plus another life term, 50 years to life, and 15 years.
  • Prosecutors said the violence followed a movie about a troubled firefighter and escalated into McFarlin strangling Marissa Divodi-Lessa, shooting her in the head in front of her children, then killing her 7-year-old son.
  • The victims were 29-year-old Marissa Divodi-Lessa, also reported as Divodi-Lessa Herzog, and her son Josiah, while her 9-year-old daughter survived.
  • After the killings, McFarlin left the area, with reports differing on whether he was later arrested in Nevada or in Mono County.
  • Seven victim impact statements were read at sentencing, including one from the surviving 9-year-old girl.