Last Friday, 32-year-old Areli Escobar was convicted of the capital murder and rape of 17-year-old Bianca Maldonado. Friday, the same jury took less than three hours to decide Escobar should be put death for his crime.
Exactly one week after State District Judge Mike Lynch read aloud the jury's verdict of guilty, Areli Escobar heard Lynch read his sentence.
I here by assess your punishment at death, said Judge Lynch.
While Escobar remained stoic, emotions spilled over in the courtroom. As Escobar's family wept openly, one of his ex-girlfriends fainted and had to be assisted from the courtroom.
Escobar's family left the courtroom visibly shaken by the sentencing. Neither they nor his legal team offered any comment. Maldonado's family then exited the courtroom. Leading the way was her now three-year-old son who was all smiles, but still bears some of the physical scars from Escobar's attack back in May of 2009. He was beaten and cut. Escobar stabbed the boy's mother, Maldonado, 46 times.
I feel guilty, because if I was there, I probably would be doing something to help her, said Magaly Maldonado, Bianca's sister. She was fighting with him, and I could have called 911 or do something else. I know ifI was there, I could be helping her if she wasn't dead already.
Maldonado's family say they do feel some sadness for Escobar's mother and family.
Even though my sister is not here, we miss her, and I knowshe (Escobar's mother) is going to miss her son.
Prosecutor Efrain Delafuente acknowledged the pain Escobar's family may be feeling, but says it pales in comparison to what Maldonado's family has had to endure.
Their pain compared to the pain that Jacqueline, the mother, who now has to raise that child, is but a drop in the ocean compared to their pain, said Delafuente.
We also spoke to Maldonado's mom, Jacqueline Hernandez. She says now her daughter can rest in peace. She says Escobar showed no heart in killing her daughter right next to her baby son. As with all death penalty cases, Escobar will be granted an appeal.
