A 27-year-old man was sentenced yesterday to life in state prison without the possibility of parole for the fatal robbery of an elderly woman in her Long Beach home, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced.

On May 13, a jury convicted Freddie James Battle of three felony counts in case NA096767: first-degree murder, first-degree burglary, person present, and attempted first-degree residential robbery.

Jurors also found true the special circumstance allegation that the murder was committed during a burglary.

Battle's codefendant, Daniia Lasean Davis, 27, was convicted of the same counts in the same case. On June 24, Davis was sentenced to life in state prison without the possibility of parole.

Deputy District Attorney Karen Brako, who prosecuted the case, said on Jan. 31, 2009, Battle and Davis broke into the Long Beach home of Leam Sovanasy. The defendants fatally stabbed Sovanasy, 76, before they fled the scene, the prosecutor said.

Following the attack, homicide detectives began an investigation into the killing, but the case eventually went cold, the prosecutor said.

More than four years after the murder, law enforcement identified Battle as the suspect in the killing through a DNA match, which then led to Davis, the prosecutor said. The two defendants were subsequently arrested and charged.

The case was investigated by the Long Beach Police Department.

Los Angeles County District Attorney / case NA096767 / July 08, 2016