Domestic Abuse Ends in Murder Conviction for LA Chef

David Viens was found guilty of second degree murder for killing his wife of 17 years. He will be sentenced in November, and he faces 15 years to life. Mr. Viens was a chef at a restaurant he owned with his wife in Lomita. During the trial a friend of Dawn Viens explained there had been violent incidents between Dawn and her husband. Karen Patterson described in court that she had noticed marks on her friend Dawn’s neck. Dawn explained that her husband had choked her. There was also another incident where Dawn Viens called Patterson from a locked bathroom in order to keep away from her husband.

David Viens' defense attorney, Fred McCurry, explained that he had not intended to kill his wife. That he had bound her limbs and covered her mouth with duct tape. Adding that he had done it "at least twice before to silence her histrionics." Once Viens realized that his wife was dead he panicked. McCurry also dismissed the explanation of his client having boiled his wife's remains. That was the confession Viens had told police while in the hospital recovering from his leap off a cliff. His attorney questioned whether it was scientifically possible to boil down human remains. Viens had also said that his wife's skull was in his mother's attic. Her remains were never found.

David Viens had jumped off a cliff in Rancho Palos Verdes while he was being followed by the Sheriff's Department. His girlfriend at the time was in the car with him and pleaded for him to pull over. Viens then got out of the car and then jumped.


Here is NBCLA.COM video coverage of the verdict.

If you are having trouble viewing the video, you can see it here.

Criminal Law Updates by the Law Offices of Orange County Defense Lawyer William W. Bruzzo (714) 547-4636.

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