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‘Someone Took Advantage of That’: 55-Year-Old California Man Gets Life for 2019 Slaying of Black Teenage Girl Who Accepted His Ride Offer

A California man was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday, Aug. 31, for shooting and killing a Black 18-year-old after leaving with her in a vehicle in 2019.

Dale Watson, 55, of Porterville, was sentenced to 43 years to life in prison in the murder of 18-year-old Dynasty Alexander of Tulare, the Fresno Bee reported.

Watson picked up Alexander in his vehicle outside of an apartment complex on March 3, 2019 to head to a store. Footage of the pair leaving in Watson’s truck was captured on a security camera that morning after Watson offered Alexander a ride.

Dale Watson, 55, of Porterville, California, was sentenced to 43 years to life in prison in the 2019 murder of 18-year-old Dynasty Alexander of Tulare, California. (Photo: Tulare County Sheriff’s Office)

On the same day, after 5 p.m., officers responded to a call about a body and discovered Alexander’s remains not far from an orchard. A driver passing by had spotted the body. Investigators said it’s possible she had been there since the early morning hours. Alexander had been shot in the upper torso and also appeared to have been strangled. She had a history of drug abuse and running away.

“Like most children – they don’t know what to be afraid of. And she trusted and liked anybody, and someone took advantage of that. That’s why we’re here,” Alexander’s cousin Carlton Jones told Fox 26 at the time.

Family said that although Alexander would sometimes run away from home, she wouldn’t go far and usually kept in contact.

Watson was linked to the murder through security footage and witness statements after the man’s car was spotted in the area near where Alexander’s body was found. He was arrested two days later during a traffic stop.

Watson was convicted of second-degree murder in April, along with multiple weapons charges.

“Her life was cut very, very short. I know people in the community were trying to help her. I know that there were people with special groups trying to help her that had high hopes trying to help her turn around,” Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said at the time of of Alexander’s death.

Watson was known to have anger problems. In a 2016 misdemeanor assault and battery case, two separate judges ordered Watson to attend an anger management program, although never did.

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