And in the trunk of her vehicle was her cold, bloodied, and decomposing body. Who killed Debbie Gama and what happened to him? Police say the 20-year-old Fullerton student was stabbed 70 times and forced into the trunk of a car, where her body was found a week later. Our latest episode of Crime Beat, Season 2: Mom vs. Murderer is available today. So why didn't she come home after work like she was supposed to? !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? Although the boyfriend was a prime suspect in the case, due to a lack of solid physical evidence, the case went cold until 2007, when DNA found on the victim connected Sam's cousin Xavier Lopez to the murder. Investigators suspected Cathy Torrezs ex-boyfriend, Sam Lopez, was behind her disappearance even before her body was discovered. Wyatt, who has spent 17 years as the lead investigator on the case, said he hoped Sam Lopezs courtroom confession wasnt just a ploy to eventually position himself for parole. Police say they suspected Lopez was the murder suspect from the very beginning. The upcoming episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered will revisit the haunting disappearance and murder of Cathy Torrez, who was stabbed at least 74 times. Cathy has a reputation for being a bright individual with a bright future ahead of her. Prosecutors allege Lopez stabbed Torrez more than 70 times, and he and his cousin stuffed her in the trunk of her car while she was still alive. All the while, detectives believed Cathy Torrez was here and there beau Sam Lopez, who had a false justification and guarantee that he was with his cousin, Xavier. The killing occurred in an apartment complex . Cathy Torres Cathy Torres, 48, of Bella Vista, Ark., is serving a life sentence for first-degree murder and battery in the 2015 death of her son, Mauricio "Isaiah" Torres. On Tuesday, Phoenix police said the two women were found dead in their home Monday night in an apparent murder-suicide, and Augustine, 32, daughter of murdered Nevada politician Kathy Augustine . The upcoming episode of Dateline: Secrets revealed will chronicle the haunting disappearance and murder of Cathy Torrez, who was stabbed at least 74 times. The autopsy revealed that she had lacerations to the face, head and chest area with fatal wounds to her wrist and neck. Both are about missing girls from Placentia, a suburb just outside of Orange County. She worked two jobs while attending school, and lived with her mother Mary, stepfather, and three siblings. Dateline examines the death of Rachel Winkler a California mother who was beloved by four men. She was soon reported missing. if(fbPixelFired) { Moreover, Sams brother, Armando Lopez was also involved with the cover-up. All rights reserved. Riverside County Firefighters Stop Forward Progress of Brush Fire in Thermal, Walk to End Genocide Held Sunday In Fairfax District, Asian Couple in Bel Air Terrorized in Home Invasion Robbery, Police Arrest 24 During DUI Checkpoint in Riverside, Riverside Police Arrest 24 People During DUI Checkpoint, Coroner IDs Man Who Jumped or Fell From Freeway Overpass. Sources stated that the 20-year-old was attending California State Fullerton University while working two jobs at the time, one of them being at the local drug store, Sav-On. Prior to Sam Lopezs confession, as they presented their victim impact statements at Fridays sentencing, Torrezs family members struggled through tears while urging him to admit to killing Torrez. He then put her in the car trunk with his cousin's assistance while she was still alive and sliced her neck and wrists. "It's been a difficult journey, but we were constantly supported by prayers and faith," said Torrez's sister, Tina Mora. An intensive search ends after her car is found, with her body in the trunk. In 2011, Cathy was recognized by El Diario/La Prensa, the nation's oldest Spanish-language daily newspaper, as a "Woman of Distinction.". Tell him why you chased her and stabbed her in the back. Deadly Twist: With Lester Holt, Keith Morrison, Katelynn White, Rachel Winkler. He then helped Sam dispose of the body. Cathy Torrez and Lynsie Ekelund both . Sometimes, it even revisits matters with added updates, which has been the case for its episode entitled The Promise. Profiling the 1994 disappearance and murder of Cathy Torrez, this classic highlights exactly how investigators used advanced technology to bring her justice decades later. Samuel believes he is above earthly judgment. Confess how you grabbed Cathy, how she screamed at you to stop. Cathy Torrez, 20, is shown in an undated file image. During her life, Torrez tutored children in the Placentia area. An intensive search ended after her car was found . S2, Ep. Sam Lopez was eventually found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to 26 years to life in prison. Cathy Torrez and Sam Lopez used to be high school sweethearts. Torres' wife, Cathy, is scheduled to go to trial on the same charges in May 2017. YouTuber Moody Unicorn Twin Finally Reveals Her Face | Read. Your email address will not be published. In this Dateline classic, Cathy Torrez was a beautiful, smart and responsible 20-year-old student. Confess how you picked up her bloody body, how she cried and told you to stop.. Dateline: Inside facts revealed with Kathy Torres case on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, at 7 p.m. On the day she disappeared, she reportedly intended to meet her on-and-off boyfriend Sam Lopez after her shift at the drug store. Armando Lopez also admitted to helping his brother and cousin commit the crime. Thus, a year later, they publicly named him as their primary suspect. An autopsy later revealed that she was stabbed in the face, head, and torso, with fatal slashes on her wrists and neck. He was convicted of first-degree murder and was given a sentence of 26 years to life in prison. At the age of four, she and her family moved to Jonesboro. Cathy Torrez was found stabbed multiple times in the trunk of her car just days after she was first reported missing in February 1994. Sam took to the stand himself during his sentencing hearing and confessed to his girlfriends brutal killing. He was charged with first-degree murder and sentenced to 26 years to life. After 12 years in the air, Cathy Torres is contemplating life on the ground. Lopez had suggested several days earlier that the two elope, but friends said Torrez planned to turn him down because she wanted an actual wedding and didnt want to run away. Cathy Torrez was a 20-year-old Latina who was found dead in her car trunk over 20 years ago. var fbPixelFired = false; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, . The upcoming episode of Dateline: Secrets revealed will chronicle the haunting disappearance and murder of Cathy Torrez, who was stabbed at least 74 times. jackson city dump hours; chicago bears rumors trade; clothing similar to wornstar; bbc scotland sports reporters; The Rio Grande Valley, often seen as a reliable vote against abortion, has a long history of advocacy to increase access to the procedure. She was soon reported missing. fbq('init', '952063904834769'); Cathy Torrez grew up in Placentia, California. Although his statements validated their long-held belief that Lopez murdered Torrez, family members said it was too late to ease years of suffering. The victim and Samuel Lopez were in her car while Xavier Lopez was in Samuels pickup truck, Murphy said. Prosecutors allege . Everyone who spoke during the court hearing, including Sam Lopez, remembered Torrez as a vibrant, beautiful woman with a contagious smile and laugh who dreamed of becoming a social worker. (KNWA/ KFTA) - In a KNWA / Fox 24 News Special Report, Anchor Tavares Jones takes a closer look at the case of Mauricio Torres, the . This Episode is Currently Unavailable. Share with God how you ignored her cries. Lopez confessed to the murder in 2015 and claimed that he "took everything away from her." When Cathy Torrez never came home after work, her family feared the worst. Authorities believed Cathy was still alive when she was put in the trunk, based on the visible handprint discovered within. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of a brutal murder and stabbing, which may trigger some readers. As part of the plea deal with prosecutors, a felony charge of being an accessory after the fact was dropped. Until Sam admitted that he committed the crime at sentencing, (the defendant and his family) all still believed that he was innocent because he had told them he didnt do it and, as family members do, they believed him, Swanson told City News Service. But prosecutors said Lopez suffered from fits of jealousy and became enraged when he discovered a hickey another man had given Torrez a week before her disappearance. He then disposed of the body with his cousin's help. However, things soon fell apart when the 20-year-old failed to return home as usual on February 12, 1994 after her shift at Sav-On. . The investigation into her death reopens a troubling mystery surrounding the untimely death of another woman Catherine Winkler who died on a desolate mountain trail in Georgia. VC Andrews Ruby Says Real-Life Twin Sister Steals the Show as Giselle on Lifetime, The Banno sisters in 'Ruby' (Lifetime photo), 2012-2023, 2paragraphs Productions, LLC. Samuel Lopez, last year when it aired on Dateline NBC . Torrez was killed Feb. 12, 1994 after leaving her job at a local Sav-On store. A licensed attorney, Cathy is a former President of the Puerto Rican Bar Association, New York's largest, oldest ethnic bar association. Orange County Superior Court Judge David Hoffer told Lopez that if he violated the terms of his probation, he could face up to a year in jail. Sam and his cousin Xavier were both arrested and charged with murder, with the former being tried first. Wyatt," which aired June 11 as the premiere episode of "The Price of Duty," recounted the haunting murder of Cathy Torres, a vibrant Cal State . Following her death, an after-school tutoring center was named in her honor. 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So why didn't she come home after work like she was supposed to? Josh Mankiewicz reports. n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; Her campaign was absent and the drivers seat was reclined completely backwards, which was odd because Kathy wasnt very tall. It take years to get to the truth. At his sentencing, Samuel Lopez took the unusual step of admitting his guilt and apologizing to the Torrez family. Xavier Lopez also told investigators that he saw his cousin essentially finish the job of the killing when he opened the trunk and slashed away at the victim again, Murphy said. An accomplished runner, Cathy completed the 2009 and 2010 NYC ING . ET. ET on Oxygen. Prior to receiving his sentence in May 2015, he admitted to murdering her and apologized to the Torrez family. Please reload the page and try again. Xavier Lopez, who is charged with being an accessory after the fact, is set to go to trial sometime in March. Her current term ends on December 31, 2024. Instead, all he did was injure his hand in the process. Your login session has expired. 10: Bombshells. Then help Sam get rid of the body. Dateline: Secrets Uncovered. The brother of a man who killed his ex-girlfriend by stabbing her dozens of times admitted Friday he helped his sibling cover up the crime 23 years ago in Placentia and was immediately sentenced to a year of informal probation. Mary Bennett, center, mother of murder victim Cathy Torrez, photo at left, hugs Placentia Sgt. Former high school sweethearts, Torrez and Lopez had renewed their relationship in the weeks leading up to her February 1994 death. At a time when Kathy Torrez never comes home after work, her family fears the most terrible thing; a serious manhunt closes after her car and body are found in the storage shed; it takes a long time to get to the truth. Cathy Torres sustained at least several fatal injuries to her wrist and neck. Firefighters Discover Man's Body While Battling Apartment Fire in South L.A. Police Investigate No-Hit Shooting in Long Beach, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. So why didn't she come home after work like she was supposed to? They have also lived in Jonesboro, AR and Paragould, AR. An intensive search ended after her car was found, with her body in the trunk. In this Dateline classic, Cathy Torrez was a beautiful, smart and responsible 20-year-old student. her Krystal Anderson, has been arrested and charged with her kidnapping. by Eleanor Klibanoff April 13, 2022 10 AM Central. The Promise Kept. Xavier Lopez still faces trial. Kathy Torres lived her childhood in Placentia, California. She should be here today I like to think she was.. On the other hand, Xavier pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and received a four-year, eight-month prison sentence. (NBC) Friday on "Dateline," nearly 40 years after young wife and mother Cathy Krauseneck is found murdered with an axe in her upstate New York home, a new team of investigators joins the . Cathy Torrez was a beautiful, smart and responsible 20-year-old student. Dateline NBC Today at 3:10 PM On September 28, Tony Berry, boyfriend of missing South Carolina mot . He then helped Sam in disposing of the body. In February 1994, California State Fullerton University student Cathy Torrez was only 20 years old when she was viciously stabbed to death. Required fields are marked *. Tina Mora, the victims sister and ex-wife of Armando Lopez, told Hoffer that the defendant, for 23 years, continued to avoid the truth with his brother and cousin., She added, Armando, you harmed Cathy by your words and your actions to cover up for your brother Your culpability in Cathys murder is recognized today.. Lopez confessed to the murder in 2015, claiming he took everything from her. Originally Aired On NBC On April 24, 2015. In 1993, Kathy reconnects with Sam Lopez, her high school sweetheart. Lopez remained stoic as the sentence was handed down, showing little emotion. 5 chilling details about Cathy Torrez's murder. Cathy Torrez's murder case was explored at length in Dateline: Secrets Uncovered's latest episode, titled The Promise, which aired on January 3. "Even though people say no, there's nothing that they can do anymore, you have to keep trying. They also claimed that this came after the couples on-and-off relationship had become volatile and that their argument that night made Sam snap. Torrez was killed Feb. 12, 1994 after leaving her job at a local Sav-On store. All rights reserved. Advancements in DNA comparison techniques led to the discovery of DNA from Sam Lopezs cousin Xavier Lopez on Torrezs clothes, as well as bloody fingerprints on the car. Despite the fact that investigators found her body in the storage compartment of her car in no less than seven days, it took nearly twenty years to finally catch her tormentorhit or miss beau Sam Lopez. Attorney Mark Rosenblum, who represented Lopez, told the judge his client will not appeal the verdict. Everything that Mr. (Deputy District Attorney Matt) Murphy said is true. Cathy Torrez never came home after work and her family fears the worst. We meet Cathy Torrez, Mary Bennett and the people in their neighborhood. Her term expired in 2010. Cathy Torrez was still alive when she was forced into the trunk of her car, where her body was found a week later. fbq('track', 'ViewContent'); According to reports, the front seat and bumper of the car were soaked in blood, and her body was discovered in the trunk with at least 74 stab wounds. Several years later, investigations into this slaying were revived, which led to the use of advanced techniques and the discovery of DNA belonging to Sams cousin, Xavier Lopez, on Cathys clothes. Clinical analysts determined that the cause of death was hemorrhaging from all the wound infections. document,'script','https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Check for a confirmation email, and then you're all set with MyNewsLA.com! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. In 2015, more than 21 years after her murder, Sam Lopez was found guilty of first-degree murder. She was going to Cal State Fullerton for a social science major, and needed to satisfy her fantasies about becoming a social worker. His cousin Xavier Lopez was also sentenced to prison for helping him commit the crime. Sam Lopez was ultimately found guilty of first-degree murder and was sentenced to 26 years to life in prison. Dateline: Secrets Uncovered - What happened to Cathy Torrez. She signed a plea deal for life in prison without parole for the capital murder charge and 20 years for battery. }, Your email address will not be published. Twenty years after Fullerton coed Cathy Torrez was repeatedly stabbed and left to die in the trunk of her car in Placentia, her ex-boyfriend was sentenced Friday to 26 years to life in state prison The front seat of the car, along with the bumper, was reportedly covered in blood and her body was found int he car trunk with at least 74 stab bounds. . He remains under investigation, however. It rocks you to the core.. Maurice Isaiah Torres died March 30, 2015, at a Bella Vista hospital. They reconnected in September 1993 at Cathy's sister Tina's wedding to Sam's older brother, Armando Lopez. Lopezs brother, Samuel Agustin Lopez, 45, was sentenced in May 2015 to 26 years to life in prison for the stabbing death of ex-girlfriend Cathy Torrez. Sam Lopez didnt look at Torrezs family or friends during the sentencing, averting his eyes as he entered the courtroom and staring straight ahead, rather than turning around when they spoke. An intensive search ended after her car was found, with her body in the trunk. Lopez confessed to the murder in 2015 and ensured he had cleared it all out. The Promise. The best result we found for your search is Cathy Lynn Torres age 50s in Bella Vista, AR. After court, Torrez's mother, Mary Bennett, told Eyewitness News that she never lost faith in the system. dateline the promise, part 4. san diego noise ordinance times; About Us. The two would often frequently hang out at Cathy's workplace, Sav-On, along with Sam's cousin Xavier Lopez. S2, Ep.8: Cold as Ice. She told co-workers that she . Sams brother Armando had been linked to Kathys older sister Tina at that point. Torres-Stahl (Democratic Party) ran for re-election for judge of the Texas 175th District Court.She won in the general election on November 3, 2020.. Torres-Stahl was the district judge for the 144th District in Bexar County, Texas. Xavier Lopez calmed his cousin and then they carried the victim to the trunk of the car and put her in, Murphy said. S5 - E4. It was all my fault, Lopez said. Medical examiners determined the cause of death as exsanguination (drained of blood) due to all the stab wounds. For more than 25 years, Dateline has brought viewers investigations into some of biggest mysteries in America. By Richard Schlesinger. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Torrez tried to run, the prosecutor said, but Lopez chased her down and stabbed her dozens of times before shoving her into the trunk of her car and making three final cuts to her wrists and neck that ended Torrezs life. Samuel Lopez used a newspaper and plastic bag to lift the . The womans car, with her body in the trunk, was found a week later, following a frantic, communitywide search. But with no physical evidence tying Lopez to the car or to Torrezs body, the case went cold. One week after her disappearance, Cathys body was found in the trunk of a car. I still believe he has no remorse for what he did, said Mary Bennett, Torrezs mother. Your email address will not be published. Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of a brutal murder and stabbing that some readers may find triggering. Sam's brother Armando was married to Cathy's elder sister Tina at the time. He faces a maximum possible sentence of 26 years to life in state prison. Maryland high school coach pulls team, goes on rant about officiating, Who Is Xana Kernodles Mom? Lopez and his cousin, Javier Lopez, were . The 20-year-old from Placentia, California worked two jobs while studying 20-year-old Cathy Torrez went missing on February 12, 1994 (Image via NBC Dateline) Cathy Torrez and Sam Lopez used to be high school sweethearts. Before being sentenced to 26 years to life in prison, Sam Lopez confessed to the murder and apologized in court to Cathys family. The family also continues to honor Cathy's life by supporting the Cathy Torrez Learning Center in Placentia. His cousin, Xavier Lopez, was also sentenced to prison for helping him commit the crime. Huge bear captured on video casually roaming Arcadia neighborhood, Lakers, LeBron James to play Warriors, Steph Curry in NBA showdown, Permanent supporting housing project opens in South LA. An autopsy revealed she was stabbed in the face, head and torso with fatal lacerations to her wrists and neck. He admitted that everything the prosecutors said was true, from the state of his bond with Cathy to how he attacked her when she tried to run away after their fight. Cathy . Your login session has expired. Cathy Krauseneck was a young wife and mother. He also said: Everything they said about Cathy was the truth she was a wonderful person. The trio then drove to a different location from there. Join Facebook to connect with Cathy Torres and others you may know. Xavier Lopez, on the other hand, received a four-year and eight-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter. December 12, 2015 / 11:08 PM / CBS News. They believed that he was lying about his whereabouts on the night of the incident, especially as several of Cathys friends and co-workers had already told them that she had planned to meet with Sam after work. Weve got the details for you. Her purse was missing and the drivers seat was reclined completely, which was unusual as Cathy wasnt very tall. About Season 2: On Feb. 12, 1994, Cal State Fullerton honor student Cathy Torrez didn't come home after working the evening shift in the photo department at S

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