A Rancho Peñasquitos man who beat his neighbor to death in 2022 has been sentenced to 17 years to life in state prison, closing out a retrial that ended with a second-degree murder conviction. Yesterday, San Diego Superior Court Judge David Berry ordered 47-year-old Parrish Juan Chambers Jr. to serve 15 years to life for the murder of Nahal Connie Dadkhah, plus an additional two years for false imprisonment. Chambers has been in custody since June 2022, when Dadkhah’s body was discovered inside her Twin Trails Drive condominium, and a jury earlier this year convicted him of second-degree murder after a prior jury had acquitted him of first-degree murder.
Judge Cites Domestic-Violence History
Judge Berry said he stacked the sentences in part because Chambers had a documented history of domestic violence and had violated a restraining order, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. The paper reports that Chambers received 15 years to life on the murder count and an extra two years tied to false imprisonment and related offenses, with the terms ordered to run consecutively. During trial, defense attorney Abram Genser argued that Dadkhah’s death could be explained by a brain bleed linked to methamphetamine use rather than a fatal beating.
Autopsy and Trial Evidence
Prosecutors told jurors that the medical examiner found blunt-force injuries to Dadkhah’s head, skull fractures and a brain bleed, and that investigators documented more than 50 bruises and cuts on her body, injuries they said looked like the result of a sustained attack, according to NBC 7 San Diego. Jurors were shown photos and heard testimony describing a smashed sliding-glass door and witnesses who said Chambers scaled the building to get into the condo.
Police Response and the Family's Lawsuit
The killing also put a harsh spotlight on the San Diego Police Department. Neighbors placed several 911 calls the night before Dadkhah was found, and officers gathered outside her condo but ultimately left without forcing their way in, a sequence detailed by the Los Angeles Times. Her family later filed a federal lawsuit claiming officers’ actions and inaction created a dangerous situation. Court records on Justia show a judge has so far ruled in the city’s favor on some motions but allowed the family to make limited amendments to their complaint.
Family Reaction and Defendant's Brief Statement
Relatives who sat through the retrial said they felt some measure of relief at the second-degree murder verdict, but they stressed that they are still seeking answers about what went wrong the night Connie Dadkhah died, NBC 7 San Diego reported. In a short statement at sentencing, Chambers offered apologies and condolences to the Dadkhah family, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Sentence Breakdown and Next Steps
The latest conviction came after a complicated legal path. Chambers was found guilty of second-degree murder in a retrial this year, following an earlier proceeding in which jurors acquitted him of first-degree murder and deadlocked on some remaining counts. That timeline was outlined by the Times of San Diego. It is not yet known whether Chambers will appeal. He will receive credit for the time he has already spent in jail awaiting trial and sentencing.
Advocates say the case has become a case study in how emergency calls linked to domestic violence are handled, and they argue it exposes weak spots in how those calls are triaged. The Dadkhah family’s civil claims against the city are still active even as the criminal sentence takes hold. Community groups and neighbors say they plan to keep pushing city leaders for policy changes aimed at faster and more proactive intervention when similar calls come in.
