San Diego court imposes two life prison terms in Palm City murder and separate kidnapping-rape case

Two life terms handed down in case tied to 2023 killing and alleged assault on second victim

A San Diego Superior Court judge imposed two life prison terms on Rafael Reyes Banda in a case that combined a homicide conviction with findings tied to the kidnapping and rape of another woman, capping a prosecution that centered on events at a Palm City residence in March 2023.

Banda, 47, was convicted by a San Diego jury in late 2025 of killing Jayme Dawn Morton, whose body was discovered at his home on Citrus Avenue, prosecutors said. The same case also involved a second woman who reported being held captive at the residence, raped and pressured to assist in dismembering Morton’s body before she escaped and sought help from a passerby, leading to Banda’s arrest.

How the case unfolded in court

Court filings and testimony described a sequence of events in which investigators were alerted after the surviving woman escaped and contacted others for help. Authorities then arrested Banda at the Citrus Avenue home, where Morton’s body was found, according to prosecutors’ account presented in earlier proceedings.

At trial, defense attorneys challenged the prosecution’s interpretation of the evidence, including the cause of Morton’s death and the credibility of the allegations involving the surviving woman. In prior court arguments, the defense contended that Morton may have died from a drug overdose and disputed that Banda’s physical condition matched the prosecution’s account of an assault.

What the sentence means

The sentence of two life terms reflects the seriousness of the convictions and accompanying findings in the case. California sentencing can result in multiple life terms when juries return guilty verdicts on murder and additional qualifying offenses, including violent felonies such as kidnapping and rape, particularly when the court imposes separate life terms for different counts or special findings.

• The homicide component focused on the death of Jayme Dawn Morton, discovered in March 2023.

• The sexual assault and captivity component focused on a second woman who reported being held against her will, raped and threatened at the same residence.

Broader context for San Diego’s courts

The case is part of a continuing stream of serious violent-felony prosecutions in San Diego County, including matters that pair homicide allegations with crimes against surviving victims. Such cases often hinge on forensic evidence, testimony regarding confinement and coercion, and the sequencing of events surrounding a victim’s escape and law enforcement response.

In cases involving multiple victims and multiple qualifying felonies, California law permits sentences structured to ensure defendants remain incarcerated for life based on separate counts and findings.

Banda’s conviction and sentence leave open the possibility of post-conviction litigation, including appeals that can challenge trial rulings, evidentiary decisions and the legal basis for sentencing enhancements.