Inmate May Get Death Penalty for Sex Slaying : Trial: Already serving a life sentence in Missouri, Timothy DePriest awaits sentence here for 1989 first-degree murder of a bridal shop seamstress.

SANTA ANA —  A Missouri man already serving a life sentence in his home state was convicted Friday in the attempted rape and murder of a Fountain Valley woman and now faces a possible death sentence for his crimes.

An Orange County Superior Court jury deliberated about eight hours before finding Timothy DePriest, 33, guilty of first-degree murder and other charges in the Dec. 17, 1989, death of Hong Thi Nguyen, 26.

Nguyen worked at a Garden Grove bridal shop as a seamstress. Her naked and battered body was left alongside a trash bin behind a pharmacy after she had been shot in the head.

At the time of the attack, DePriest was on parole from a California prison for an unrelated rape.

Jurors could not discuss the verdict Friday because they must return to court Feb. 14 to begin the trial’s penalty phase. They will consider whether DePriest should receive the death penalty or spend life in prison with no parole.

With their verdict, jurors made it clear they rejected defense arguments that DePriest was wrongly charged in the case.

DePriest admitted using Nguyen’s car, credit cards and checkbook to travel to Missouri. Deputy Public Defender Lewis W. Clapp said his client has abused drugs and was “not an angel,” but pleaded with jurors to see that DePriest was a victim of circumstances.

DePriest did not know Nguyen had been murdered when he purchased car for very little money from an acquaintance, the attorney said, and discovered the woman’s purse and a gun in the car only while driving to Missouri.

Once in his home state, DePriest was captured after sexually assaulting another woman and then shooting and wounding a police officer during a chase. He was sentenced on those charges to life plus 57 years in prison.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Christopher J. Evans plans to seek the death penalty against DePriest, while defense attorneys plan to ask the jury to recommend life in prison without parole for their client. Orange County Superior Court Judge Everett W. Dickey will make the final decision.

Defense attorneys have criticized prosecutors for seeking the death penalty for a man already serving a life sentence.

But prosecutors say DePriest deserves no leniency because of his history of brutal crimes.