News Release
VENTURA, Calif. – District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that Anthony Nardini (DOB 09/30/80), of Bakersfield, was convicted of three felony counts including attempted murder after beating his sleeping 24-year-old son with a sledgehammer.
Jurors found Nardini guilty of attempted murder, aggravated mayhem, and assault with a deadly weapon on September 20, 2023. The jury also found true all felony special allegations, which included use of a deadly weapon and causing great bodily injury in commission of a felony.
On March 19, 2023, Nardini and the victim, who had recently reconnected after being estranged, were staying with family in an unincorporated part of Ventura County near Simi Valley. That evening, a physical argument between the two had to be broken up by family members. Nardini left in his truck but would later return. When he reentered the home, the victim was asleep on the couch. Nardini insisted that others in the house head to bed. Once he was alone with the victim, Nardini grabbed a sledgehammer he found on the property and began to bludgeon his sleeping son with it. Hearing the force of the blows, family members came rushing in to find the victim suffering from severe head injury. Nardini fled out the backdoor.
When Ventura County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived, a blood covered sledgehammer was found outside. The victim was placed in a medically induced coma for several days but ultimately survived the attack by his own father.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Stu Gardner, a member of the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office Domestic Violence Unit, prosecuted the case.
“While this conviction will never repair the emotional and physical scars inflicted by his father, we hope that this affirmation by the jury will bring some solace to the young man who experienced an unfathomable attack on his life,” Gardner said.
Nardini is scheduled to be sentenced on November 1, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. in courtroom 46 of the Ventura County Superior Court. He’s facing a life sentence with the possibility of parole and remains in custody without bail.
Case: 2023006779
Defendant Information:
Anthony Thomas Nardini (DOB 09/30/80)
Bakersfield
Charges:
- PC 644/187(a) – Attempted willful, deliberate premeditated murder
- PC 205 – Aggravated mayhem
- PC 245(a)(1) – Assault with deadly weapon
Special Allegations:
- PC 12022(b)(1) – Use of a deadly weapon
- PC 12022.7(a) – Great bodily injury in commission of felony
- CRC 4.421(a)(1) – The crime involved great violence
- CRC 4.421(a)(2) – Defendant was armed with or used a weapon at the time of the commission of the crime
- CRC 4.421(b)(3) – The defendant has served a prior term in prison or county jail under section 1170(h)
