A man who brutally raped and shot his roommate in a Jupiter-area apartment in August 2023 has been given a life sentence.
Palm Beach County State Attorney Alexcia Cox announced on Thursday that Jose Carmen Malagon would spend life behind bars, after a jury found him guilty of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm, and sexual battery while in possession of a firearm, in August. The court also declared Malagon a sexual predator.
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"The violent and selfish desires of the defendant will impact (the victim) for the remainder of her life,” said Assistant State Attorney Nicole Corring in a sentencing recommendation.
The woman was Malagon's roommate at the time of the attack, and she told detectives that he said she was "ruining his life" because she wouldn't have sex with him.
He shot the woman in the back, which left her paralyzed. The SWAT team was called to the apartment, leading to Malagon's arrest.