News Releases
July 28, 2021: Man Pleads to Double Murder for Studio City Fire
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Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced that a man who set a fire that killed two people and severely injured a teenage girl was sentenced today to 50 years to life in state prison.
“Although the life sentence in this case does not bring back the victims, it does hold the defendant accountable for his deadly actions,” District Attorney Gascón said. “My deepest sympathies go out to the families, whose lives were forever altered by this atrocious crime.”
Efrem Zimbalist Demery, 31, of Los Angeles pleaded no contest today to two counts of murder and one count of arson of a structure.
On the morning of April 14, 2018, Demery used gasoline and a lighter he bought from a gas station across the street from a recording studio located in the 3700 block of Cahuenga Boulevard in Studio City and set fire to the room where Devaughn Carter, 28, and Michael Pollard, 30, were sleeping.
Carter and Pollard died in the fire and a 15-year-old girl was seriously injured.
Demery had been involved in a confrontation with the two victims the day before he killed them.
Case LA088204 was investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department.
