California man who blamed twin brother for cold case rapes of girl and jogger is sentenced to 140 years in prison

A man has been sentenced to 140 years in prison in California for brutally raping a 9-year-old girl and a 32-year-old jogger more than two decades ago, officials announced this week. Proescutors say Kevin Konther tried to accuse his identical twin brother of committing the crimes  – along with the molestation of a former girlfriend's daughter.

Konther, 58, was sentenced on Friday in Orange County Superior Court, where a judge imposed the maximum penalty, the Orange County District Attorney said in a news release. A jury convicted Konther in February 2023 of multiple felony charges linked to the sexual assaults, including two counts of forcible rape and one count of a lewd and lascivious act with a minor, according to the district attorney.

"The relentless pursuit of justice by the Orange County Sheriff's Department and the Orange County District Attorney's Office has ensured that another monster who preys on young girls and young women will never be free to jump out of the bushes again," said District Attorney Todd Spitzer in a statement.