Husband Shoots Alleged Rapist

HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. (AP) â€” An enraged husband, using a composite sketch, tracked down and shot a man he believed had raped his wife, shouting, ``This is for my wife!,'' police said Friday.

Friday, January 5th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. (AP) â€” An enraged husband, using a composite sketch, tracked down and shot a man he believed had raped his wife, shouting, ``This is for my wife!,'' police said Friday.

Anthony Starita, 32, was arrested for investigation of attempted murder in the wounding early Thursday of Ali Sina Sharareh, who already had a rape conviction on his record.

Sharareh, 22, was in fair condition Friday.

Sharareh has not been charged in the rape of Starita's wife, but Officer Paul Wolcott said there is a ``high probability'' that Starita shot the right man.

Now, however, the husband ``is looking at potentially doing more time than the suspected rapist,'' Wolcott said.

The husband could get 15 years to life in prison, plus extra years for using a handgun. Sharareh, if arrested and convicted in the rape, could get 16 years as a second-time offender.

Starita's 21-year-old wife was attacked in an alley early Sunday while walking home from a bar, police said. She helped police create a composite sketch of the attacker.

Starita studied the sketch and stakeed out the bar in hopes the attacker would return, police said. After about two hours in the bar, Starita spotted Sharareh and assumed he was the rapist, police said.

``The composite was pretty specific and there were some physical characteristics that were right on. I think that's what he based it on,'' Wolcott said.

Starita allegedly waited for Sharareh to enter the bathroom and followed him inside, shooting him while he urinated, Wolcott said.