Man Sentenced to 36-Year Imprisonment for Murder of Girlfriend, Arson, Burglary

A Los Angeles man who was convicted of murdering his girlfriend and then setting her Pasadena apartment on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence was sentenced today to 36 years to life in state prison.

Alhambra Superior Court found Corey Green, 30, guilty of second-degree murder, arson and second-degree burglary in connection with the Sept. 30, 2011 killing of Maria Donnelly, the Pasadena Star-News reported.

The court also orderd Green to pay $866 to the state victim compensation program, Deputy District Attorney Tamu Usher told the Star-News.

Police arrested Green in October 2011, but was released because the authorities lacked information to hold him. He was rearrested in December 21, 2011.

Police said Green and Donnelly, 27, were reportedly in a relationship at the time of the killing and that neighbors around the time of the attack occasionally heard loud arguments coming from Donnelly’s apartment, the Pasadena Sun reported.

Donnely’s body was found inside a burnt apartment on South Meredith Avenue just below Colorado Blvd. on September 30, 2013. Police said the cause of her death are the injuries to her head, neck and chest.