A woman from San Juan Capistrano has been sentenced to over 21 years in prison for her role in the murder of James Dao, who was found shot and dumped in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Dana Point.
Sheila Marie Ritze was convicted of second-degree murder and making false statements to federal investigators. Along with Hoang Xuan Le, the two took Dao out on a boat for a “late-night lobster-fishing trip” before Le shot him in the back over an alleged debt of $30,000 to $40,000.
Dao’s body was found the following day, and Ritze was sentenced on Tuesday, while Le awaits sentencing in July.
