Rebecca Grossman was sentenced on June 10, 2024, to 15 years to life in state prison for the second-degree murders of brothers Mark and Jacob Iskander, whom she struck and killed while speeding through a Westlake Village crosswalk in September 2020. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Joseph Brandolino imposed the sentence at the Van Nuys courthouse after denying a defense motion for a new trial, finding that the “totality of evidence” showed Grossman acted with implied malice.1Courthouse News Service. Rebecca Grossman Gets 15 Years to Life in Prison for Killing Two Young Boys With Her Car in Los Angeles Her convictions have since been upheld on state appeal, and a separate civil jury has ordered her and her co-defendant to pay roughly $198 million to the boys’ family.
What the Jury Convicted Her Of
On February 23, 2024, a Los Angeles County jury found Grossman guilty on all five counts she faced: two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, and one count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death.2Los Angeles County. Rebecca Grossman’s Murder Convictions Upheld on Appeal
The conduct underlying those counts was laid out at trial. On the evening of September 29, 2020, Nancy Iskander was crossing Triunfo Canyon Road at a marked crosswalk near Saddle Mountain Drive with her three sons: 11-year-old Mark on a skateboard, 8-year-old Jacob on inline skates, and 5-year-old Zachary on a scooter.3Los Angeles Times. Grossman Trial – Victims and Crosswalk Details Nancy grabbed Zachary and dove out of the way. Mark and Jacob were struck in the crosswalk and killed.4NBC Los Angeles. Jury Reaches Decision in Westlake Village Crash Civil Trial
Vehicle black-box data showed Grossman’s white Mercedes-Benz SUV was traveling 73 mph at impact in a 45-mph zone, and prosecutors said she had been going as fast as 81 mph seconds earlier.5ABC7 Los Angeles. Appeals Court Panel Upholds Rebecca Grossman’s Conviction Even with airbags deployed and heavy front-end damage, she kept driving, stopping about a quarter-mile away only when the engine shut down on its own. A breathalyzer at the scene returned readings around 0.075–0.076% blood alcohol content, and a blood draw more than three hours later registered 0.08%, exactly California’s legal limit; she also tested positive for Valium.6Los Angeles Times. Rebecca Grossman Alcohol Valium Impaired Investigator Testifies Prosecutors argued Grossman had been racing her boyfriend, former Major League Baseball pitcher Scott Erickson, whose black Mercedes SUV was traveling just ahead of her; the two had been drinking margaritas together at a Westlake Village cantina earlier that evening.7Courthouse News Service. Former MLB Pitcher Scott Erickson Grilled in Civil Trial Over Crash That Killed Two Young Boys
How the Sentence Is Structured
Judge Brandolino imposed 15 years to life for each of the two second-degree murder counts, plus three years for hit-and-run, with all sentences running concurrently.8Ventura County Star. Rebecca Grossman California Supreme Court Decision He also ordered more than $47,000 in restitution and denied a defense request that Grossman remain free on bail while she appealed.1Courthouse News Service. Rebecca Grossman Gets 15 Years to Life in Prison for Killing Two Young Boys With Her Car in Los Angeles Her earliest possible parole date is March 2033.9The Acorn. Grossman Moved to Chino Prison
Nancy Iskander objected to the concurrent structure. “It was a stab in the heart for me to count both boys as one,” she told reporters. “What message are you telling the public? It’s okay to hit and run?”10NBC Los Angeles. Rebecca Grossman Never Apologized, Nancy Iskander Interview She also said Grossman had never taken true responsibility, noting that while Grossman had used the words “I am sorry,” she never said “I am sorry I killed them.”
The Appeals
Grossman’s post-conviction attorney, Lara Gressley, argued on appeal that the evidence at most supported manslaughter, not murder — that prosecutors had failed to prove implied malice and that the trial judge had not adequately defined the term for the jury.11Los Angeles Times. Rebecca Grossman Murdered Two Boys When She Sped Through Crosswalk, Appeals Court Agrees
On March 17, 2026, a three-judge panel of California’s Second District Court of Appeal upheld the convictions. The justices wrote that “after drinking, Grossman got into her car and raced Erickson through residential streets” and that the jury could “readily infer” she knew she was approaching a crosswalk in a neighborhood she knew well.12Ventura County Star. Rebecca Grossman May Seek U.S. Supreme Court Review, Attorney Says The California Supreme Court denied review on June 10, 2026.8Ventura County Star. Rebecca Grossman California Supreme Court Decision Gressley has indicated she may seek U.S. Supreme Court review on unspecified federal constitutional grounds, though no petition has been filed as of mid-2026.
The $198 Million Civil Verdict
The criminal sentence is not the only judgment against Grossman. The Iskander family, parents Nancy and Karim and their surviving son Zachary, filed a wrongful death lawsuit in January 2021 against Grossman, Erickson, and Grossman’s husband Dr. Peter Grossman, who was named as the registered owner of the Mercedes she was driving.13Fox Los Angeles. Rebecca Grossman, Scott Erickson Punitive Damages Verdict
On June 3, 2026, a civil jury found both Grossman and Erickson negligent, determined that they “acted in concert with each other” in the events leading to the fatal crash, and found that both had acted with malice, oppression, or fraud. Compensatory damages were set at $176 million.14Los Angeles Times. Grossman-Erickson Trial Verdict A week later, on June 10, 2026, the jury ordered Grossman to pay $21 million in punitive damages and Erickson to pay $1.17 million, bringing the combined award to roughly $198 million.15Ventura County Star. Jury Decides $22M in Punitive Damages Against Grossman, Erickson The jury exceeded the amounts the family had asked for. Erickson, who testified he was going 55 mph and denied racing, was never charged criminally in connection with the deaths.16NBC Los Angeles. Closing Arguments in Grossman-Erickson Civil Trial The Iskander family has said they expect the defendants to appeal the civil judgment.13Fox Los Angeles. Rebecca Grossman, Scott Erickson Punitive Damages Verdict
Where Grossman Is Now
After sentencing, Grossman was transferred into the state prison system and later held at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla.17Spectrum Local News. Rebecca Grossman Moved to Prison
In March 2026, while the civil case was being tried, Grossman mailed a private letter from prison directly to Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Huey Cotton, who was overseeing the wrongful death trial. Judge Cotton did not read the letter and ordered it sealed. At an April 2026 hearing, he called the contact “absolutely unacceptable” and warned that Grossman could face a $10,000 fine, with a sanctions hearing to be held after the civil trial concluded.18The Acorn. Rebecca Grossman Risks Fine for Sending Letter to Civil Judge