LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles judge sentenced Darryl Lamar Collins to life in prison without the possibility of parole for killing his girlfriend, Fatima Johnson. Collins murdered the 53-year-old mother of six on July 4, 2021, 364 days after he was released from prison for two previous murders.

Johnson's daughters found her dead in her apartment on July 4, 2021. She was discovered with her wrists and ankles bound with shoelaces and duct tape, gagged with underwear and duct tape placed over her mouth and nose.

Collins stole Johnson's cell phone, jewelry, and her Lexus. Hours after the killing, he pawned two of her necklaces and sold her vehicle for drugs.

Collins had been convicted of two separate murders in 1995 and was sentenced to two consecutive terms of 25 years to life. On September 17, 1995, he carjacked Derrick Reese, 28, who was using a payphone, then shot Reese at least twice, killing him. Eleven days later, Collins attempted to rob a diner, held cashier Thomas Weiss, 44, at gunpoint and fatally shot him in the face.

Collins was released after serving 25 years under a youthful offender parole provision enacted by state lawmakers in 2017. The law raised the age cutoff from 23 to 25 for early parole eligibility. At the time of the 1995 murders, Collins was 24 years old.

"Darryl Collins took three innocent lives. Today's sentence isn't just about punishment. It's also about protection from this sociopath to ensure he will never walk free again," said Nathan Hochman, Los Angeles County District Attorney.

U.S. Representative Kevin Kiley cited Collins's criminal history while calling for a review of the Parole Board's decisions and state early release laws. "California's reckless laws and runaway Parole Board are getting our citizens killed," Kiley said.