Wife convicted of murdering husband sentenced to life in prison
RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- A cheating wife convicted by a jury of enlisting her boyfriend to murder her husband was sentenced today to 25 years to life in prison.
Ingrid Esteves, 24, of San Bernardino, was accused by prosecutors of luring her husband -- 26-year-old Angel Esteves -- to a dark Ontario street on Aug. 1, 2006.
When Angel Esteves arrived, he was ambushed by his wife's lover, 21-year-old Rafael Quiroz, who opened fire on Angel Esteves with a handgun, killing him.
Esteves was convicted of first-degree murder in May following a two-week-long trial in West Valley Superior Court. It took jurors just three hours of deliberations to reach a guilty verdict.
Quiroz, of Temple City, was convicted by a jury of second-degree murder.
This morning, Judge Arthur Harrison sentenced Esteves to 25 years to life in prison, the mandatory sentence for a person convicted of first-degree murder.
"The defendant has not shown remorse," Harrison said.
Quiroz is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday in West Valley Superior Court. The mandatory sentence for second-degree murder is 15 years to life in prison.
Esteves was sentenced following a failed bid for a new trial today by her defense attorney, Maryanne Murphy.
Esteves' trial was unfair because she stood trial jointly with Quiroz, Murphy said. Esteves was afraid to testify because of Quiroz's presence in the courtroom, Murphy said.
Murphy argued that Esteves should be granted a new trial where she is the lone defendant.
Harrison denied Murphy's motion for a new trial. Murphy said following the sentencing portion of today's hearing that she would file an appeal on behalf of Esteves.
In addition to a prison sentence and other fines, Harrison ordered Esteves to pay $500 to reimburse Angel Esteves's family for the cost of transporting his body to Mexico for burial.
Murphy asked Harrison to make a recommendation to the California Department of Corrections that Esteves be imprisoned in Southern California to be close to her family.
Esteves' family members and Murphy declined to comment after the hearing.
would someone PLEASE tell me what the heck is going on with all these black young men getting killed by SBPD I am really hurting inside about how many murders the police are committing I ask the police dept. please stop killing our kids,I have been crying all day long about how you all killed Juan, then Davon I knew them both,the pain i feel inside is totally unexplainable. I have a 25 yr. old son and he works everyday,he has NEVER me a problem all his life,now I have great fear that the Sheriff or SBPD will kill him as he walk home with his earplugs in his ear because he don't hear you guys.God this thing that's going on out here has given me great anxiety. today was Davon's home going.I am in so much rage and fear and pain til all I want to do is sleep.STOP KILLING OUR KIDS. LINDA
It's really pretty easy to keep your son alive. First, if you have a problem with his earplugs, tell him not to wear them. Second, tell him not to carry any weapons with him and brandish them at the police. Third, if confronted by the police, do everything they say and he won't get hurt...Pointing a gun at law enforcement officers will get you killed as the two men you mentioned above came to find out...You say, "please stop killing our kids." You should be preaching to the young black men to stop carrying guns. Pretty easy don't you think?
Well said Bob.
Bob, must be a cop.