Man Whose Girlfriend Wrote His Initials In Blood As She Died Gets 26 Years To Life

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Los Angeles man whose dying girlfriend wrote his initials in blood after her throat was slashed has been sentenced to 26 years to life in prison.

James Duane Grzeslo was sentenced Monday after a jury found the former Marine guilty of first-degree murder last month.

Prosecutors say the 59-year-old killed his girlfriend in her Beverly Hills apartment on Oct. 26, 2011.

Cathy Ann Carrasco-Zanini's throat had been slashed but prosecutors say the 58-year-old was able to write Grzeslo's initials with her blood before dying.

Prosecutors say Grzeslo was possessive and jealous of his girlfriend's friendships. Witnesses testified that Grzeslo said he used to turn people into Pez dispensers by slashing their throats when he was a Marine.

Prosecutors say Grzeslo was a Marine but lied about serving in Vietnam.