Man convicted of murder in 2020 beating of girlfriend at a Rancho Cordova home

A man was convicted of first-degree murder for the 2020 beating death of his girlfriend at a home in Rancho Cordova, according to officials.

Nicholas Brynelson, 26 at the time, called 911 about 5 p.m. on Feb. 12 of that year to report that his girlfriend, 52-year-old Jong Hee Park, had been assaulted and was not breathing, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office stated in a news release this week.

When Rancho Cordova officers arrived at the home in the 3600 block of Manzanola Way, Brynelson exited the residence with blood on his hands and face, prosecutors said in the release. His right hand was broken.

Park was found in the master bedroom with “severe trauma” to her head and neck, prosecutors said, and pronounced dead at the scene.

Brynelson was originally booked into the Sacramento County Jail on a charge of voluntary manslaughter. By the morning after his arrest, charges were upgraded to murder.

Brynelson faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison at his sentencing on Sept. 30.

This story was originally published August 27, 2022 at 5:31 PM.