Murderer Gets Death Penalty

Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Harry Mock Jr. today handed out the death penalty to John William Clark, who was convicted of the attempted murder of his therapist and the murder of her husband in their Rancho Park home.

Judge Mock refused to modify the death sentence approved by a Santa Monica jury last December. Clark, 40, of Canoga Park, was found guilty last May of the attempted murder of Ava Gawronski and the murder of her husband David, 35, during a fire at the couple’s home in January, 1982. He was also found guilty of the attempted murder of the Gawronski’s daughter, Sara, now 3 1/2, who was rescued from the family’s home by a passer-by.