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A man who, and ate part of her body

Leslie Closner was handed a 25 years to life sentence after admitting to first-degree murder in 1988. He will remain behind bars for the rest of his life until another parole hearing is mandated by law, according to a statement from the Sutter County District Attorney, after the California Board of Parole Hearings rescinded their offer of parole.

On 16th October 1987, Closner and his girlfriend Jan Ferguson checked into a motel for her daughter's wedding. A heated argument ensued between the couple, during which Closner pushed Ferguson onto the floor and strangled her to death, according to a parole review document.

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After murdering Ferguson, Closner attempted to resuscitate Ferguson using mouth-to-mouth but when that failed, he fled the motel room.

Upon leaving, Closner realised he had left his wallet in the room, so he climbed through an open window to retrieve it, the parole review document stated. He then violated Ferguson's corpse again and

According to the parole review document, Closner subsequently fled the motel but handed himself over to Oregon police two days later.

In a 2018 decision, former California Governor Jerry Brown highlighted that this was not the first time Closner had displayed aggressive behaviour. He noted that during Closner's five-year relationship with Ferguson, he allegedly subjected her to repeated emotional and physical abuse.

The parole review document detailed how Closner obsessively followed Ferguson during a brief separation, to an alarming degree. He further explained that the “feeling of rage” made him lose control.

The document also revealed Closner's abusive past with his ex-wife, including an incident where he attempted to strangle her until she struggled to breathe, leading to their divorce after she sought a restraining order.

Governor Brown expressed in his parole denial that he doubted Closner understood the root of his violent tendencies. When questioned by the board about his motives for committing such a heinous crime, Closner explained, "My view is that I was dealing with some, you know, negative core issues that extend back from early childhood and in relationship with my mother."

During the parole review, Closner suggested that witnessing his mother's nudity and enduring physical abuse as a child may have contributed to his violent behaviour. Former Governor Brown expressed that Closner represents an unreasonable danger to society if released.

"The people would like to thank the victim's family for their dedication all these years, for attending every hearing and representing their loved one so fiercely," said the district attorney's office. "The Sutter County District Attorney's Office will continue to represent the people of the state of California in these hearings, speaking up for justice for the family of his victim and the well-being of the community," they added in a statement.

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