Mother Pleads Guilty To Killing Babies
Valerie Lopez Agrees To Cooperate With Prosecution In Boyfriend's Case
POSTED: Thursday, July 31, 2008
UPDATED: 12:58 pm CDT July 31,
2008
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas -- A 21-year-old San Antonio woman charged in the slayings of her two children pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of capital murder.In exchange for her guilty plea, Valerie Lopez will be sentenced to life without parole if she cooperates with the Bexar County District Attorney's Office in the prosecution of her boyfriend, Jerry Salazar, 29.Lopez pleaded guilty the same day jury selection was scheduled to begin in a Nueces County courtroom in Corpus Christi.Lopez and Salazar are accused of killing 18-month-old Sariyah Garcia and her brother, 6-month-old Sebastian Lopez. The decaying bodies of both children were found stuffed in garbage bags underneath a triplex on West Winnipeg Street in March 2007.Her trial was moved to Corpus Christi after Lopez's attorneys claimed media attention would not allow their client to have a fair trial.Prosecutors were planning to seek the death penalty against Lopez if she was found guilty of capital murder.Salazar faces a similar fate when he goes on trial. A trial date has not been set.
Previous Stories:
- July 30, 2008: Mother Charged In Infants' Slaying Considering Plea
- October 31, 2007: Mother Charged In Infant's Slayings Gets Trial Moved
- April 12, 2007: Infant's Death Ruled Homicide
- March 22, 2007: Candlelight Vigil Honors Children Killed
- March 19, 2007: Child Abuse, Neglect Task Force To Investigate Child Killings
- March 14, 2007: Former Roomate: Lopez Abused Child In My Home
- March 13, 2007: Sister: Mother Who Confessed Killings Changes Story
- March 11, 2007: Police: Arrested Mother Confesses Killing Son, Daughter
- March 9, 2007: Slain Infants' Mother Had Contact With CPS
- March 9, 2007: Grandmother Of Slain Children Killed Says She Warned Officials
- March 8, 2007: Slain Children Mourned By Residents
- March 7, 2007: 2 Infants' Bodies Found
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