A California child molester, Hannah Tubbs, also known as James Tubbs, has been sentenced to 15 years in an adult prison for the 2019 murder of Michael Clark in Kern County. Tubbs, who had previously served time for attacking a 10-year-old girl in a Denny’s bathroom, apologized to the victim’s family and expressed remorse during the sentencing. The two had been friends living in an outdoor “survivalist transient” community but their relationship turned violent when Tubbs stole $100 from Clark and was confronted about it. Tubbs faced more serious charges, including first-degree murder, but agreed to a plea deal.
Tubbs, who had been treated as a female in Los Angeles, was being held in the Kern County Jail’s men’s facility. However, evidence, including jailhouse phone calls, suggests that Tubbs only pretended to change gender identity in order to be housed with juvenile girls. State correction officials will determine whether Tubbs will be sent to a male or female prison.
After Clark’s death, Tubbs threatened other friends to keep quiet about the attack. Tubbs has a history of convictions for violent crimes and drug offenses in California, Washington, and Idaho, and has been accused of at least two other attacks on young girls.
In jailhouse phone calls obtained last year, Tubbs expressed satisfaction over the lenient sentence received in Los Angeles due to the policies of District Attorney George Gascon. Tubbs was due to be paroled but L.A. prosecutors requested a custody transfer to face justice for a 2014 sex assault of a 10-year-old girl in a Denny’s restaurant bathroom. However, Gascon’s direction kept the case in juvenile court.
Shea Sanna, the Los Angeles prosecutor who handled Tubbs’ case, expressed satisfaction with the sentencing and hoped for a difficult time for Tubbs in prison. Tubbs also has criminal records in Idaho and Washington, including previous attacks on young girls and a prior assault conviction.
