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Fugitive Rapist Convicted in Absentia Sentenced to Life
19 Jun
Summary
- Convicted rapist Gary Diggs is now a fugitive after failing to appear for trial.
- Diggs, with a prior California rape conviction, was out on bond during his Georgia trial.
- He was sentenced to life without parole plus 60 years for rape and other crimes.
Gary Diggs, a convicted rapist with a prior conviction in California, is now a fugitive. He failed to appear in a Fulton County courtroom for the conclusion of his rape trial, prompting authorities to declare him a fugitive. Diggs, who had been out on a $100,000 bond, had previously been convicted of rape in Los Angeles County in 1995.
During his recent trial for a 2017 rape and other charges in Fulton County, Diggs represented himself. As the prosecution neared the end of its case, Diggs absconded, a move described as serious by Fulton County DA Fani Willis. He was convicted in absentia for rape, false imprisonment, aggravated battery, and a state sexual offender registry violation.
Senior Judge David Emerson sentenced Diggs as a recidivist to life without parole plus 60 years. Diggs met his victim, a 19-year-old from Louisiana, on Plenty of Fish, using a false profile picture and making false claims of wealth. After luring her to Georgia, he physically attacked her when she discovered his deception, leaving her with strangulation marks and pushing her down stairs.
