Man Sentenced to Death for 1980 Murder Dies in Prison at 80
URGENT UPDATE: In a shocking turn of events, Benjamin W. Watta, sentenced to death for the brutal 1980 murder of Simone Sharpe, has died in prison at the age of 80. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation confirmed his passing occurred on December 22, 2023, during a routine count at Pelican Bay State Prison in Crescent City.
Watta was found unresponsive in his cell around 11 a.m. and pronounced dead shortly after 11:30 a.m. by paramedics. The cause of death is currently under investigation by the Del Norte County Coroner. This marks a significant moment in a case that has haunted the Seal Beach community for over four decades.
In 2008, Watta was convicted of the rape and murder of 70-year-old Simone Sharpe, who was discovered dead in her neighbor’s home on Christmas Eve in 1980. She had been viciously raped, strangled, and suffocated while caring for the neighbor’s pets during their vacation. Her son tragically found her lifeless body hidden in a bedroom, a grim discovery that went unsolved for years.
The case remained cold until 2001, when advancements in DNA technology linked Watta to the crime through evidence collected from a rape kit at the time. At that point, he was already in custody in Florida for the attempted murder of an ex-girlfriend. Following extradition to Orange County, he was sentenced to death in 2009 after a jury recommended the extreme penalty.
Watta’s death sentence was overshadowed by California’s ongoing moratorium on executions, announced by Governor Gavin Newsom in 2019. The state has not carried out an execution since 2006, leaving many to question the future of capital punishment in California.
As the investigation into Watta’s death unfolds, authorities are urging anyone with further information to come forward. This tragic conclusion to a decades-long case raises important questions regarding justice and the impact on Sharpe’s surviving family, who have waited years for closure.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops.
