Trial set for boyfriend of teen who murdered mom

Opening statements are expected this morning in the murder trial of Ian Allen, 23, of Huntington Beach, accused of the fatal stabbing of Barbara Mullenix, his former girlfriend’s mother. That former girlfriend, Rachael Mullenix, 19, was convicted for her part in the same murder in July and faces 25 years to life in prison.

Allen is charged with murder and a sentencing enhancement for personal use of a deadly weapon, and faces a maximum sentence of 26 years to life.

Barbara Mullenix’s repeatedly stabbed body washed ashore near the Newport Harbor Yacht Club on Sept. 13, 2006, authorities said.

In her trial, Rachael Mullenix told jurors Allen was the real culprit, and that she had stood by in shock as he stabbed her mother to death. They convicted her of first-degree murder, though they didn’t find she necessarily held the knife herself.

— Michael Alexander