Walnut: January 2012 Archives

WALNUT -- A woman accused of fatally stabbing her estranged husband at his home in Walnut last year pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges stemming from the killing, authorities said.

Socorro Mora, 44, is charged with the murder of 47-year-old George Mora, who was stabbed to death Oct. 19 at the home he shared with the couple's four children in the 21600 block of Brookside Court, investigators said. The children, ranging in age from 8 to 16, were not home during the attack.

In Pomona Superior Court Wednesday, Deputy District Attorney Taraneh Saba filed an amended felony complaint indicating that Mora allegedly grew increasingly violent in the weeks leading up to the killing.

The amended complaint added charges of cruelty to an animal and inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant, officials said.

"(The animal cruelty charge) is due to her stabbing the family dog to death with a knife," Taraneh said. That incident is alleged to have taken place Sept. 24.

The domestic violence charge stems from a previous incident between Socorro and George Mora on Sept. 13.

Shortly after the September domestic violence incident, George Mora obtained a restraining order against his estranged wife.

The couple had celebrated their 18th wedding anniversary two months before the killing and separated shortly after, according to family members.

Outside of a domestic incident, a motive in the killing has not been released.

Socorro Mora was found in front of her husband's home suffering from stab wounds, though it was not clear how she received them. George Mora was pronounced dead inside the home.

She also suffered stab wounds in the incident, however authorities have not disclosed how she is believed to have received them. 

Socorro Mora was initially hospitalized with serious injuries before being booked into at the Century Regional Detention Center in Lynwood.

She was ordered back into Pomona Superior Court for another hearing Feb. 22, officials said.

According to county booking records, she was being held in lieu of $5 million bail.

A fund has been set up through Bank of America to benefit the Mora children. Donations can be made to the "Mora Children's Fund," account number 07822-77374.