Man Convicted in Abduction of 15-Year-Old West Hills Boy
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A Santa Barbara man was convicted Monday of kidnapping a 15-year-old West Hills boy, but found not guilty of killing him.
After more than two days of deliberations, the jury found Jesse Rugge, 22, guilty of kidnapping Nicholas Markowitz for ransom. Nicholas, who was abducted from his San Fernando Valley home in August 2000, was taken to Santa Barbara and shot to death two days later.
Rugge faces up to life in prison when sentenced June 4 by Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge William L. Gordon.
Last November, a separate Santa Barbara jury convicted Ryan Hoyt, 22, of West Hills of killing Nicholas to avoid prosecution for kidnapping.
The jury recommended the death penalty for Hoyt, who is awaiting sentencing.
Also charged with kidnapping and murder in the case are Graham Pressley, 18, of Goleta and William Skidmore, 22, of Simi Valley. They are awaiting trial in Santa Barbara.
During his trial, Rugge testified that Hoyt forced him and Pressley to go to the campsite where Nicholas was shot, said Rugge’s attorney Michael A. Carty. He also testified that neither he nor Pressley wanted Nicholas to die.
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