The homicide trial for a sister and brother related to a 2021 deadly taking pictures in Fairfield started Tuesday with the prosecutor outlining in her opening assertion what the proof will present and her telling the jury that, at trial’s finish, “It will all come together to corroborate the charges.”
Through the morning session, Solano County Superior Court docket Decide William J. Pendergast first learn introductory jury directions, then Deputy District Legal professional Ilana Shapiro laid out for the 12 jurors and three alternates what led to the dying of Leilani Beauchamp, 19, of Carmel, on Oct. 30.
Jessica Yesenia Quintanilla, 24, of Pittsburg, is charged with taking pictures Beauchamp within the head, killing her, whereas Beauchamp was in mattress with a male companion. Marco Antonio Quintanilla, 30, additionally of Pittsburg, is charged with being an adjunct after the very fact. At their preliminary arraignment in November 2021, each pleaded not responsible to the costs.
Talking slowly and clearly, pacing every now and then in entrance of the jury field, Shapiro recounted a few of the fundamentals already recognized in regards to the circumstances within the case but in addition added some further particulars.
She alluded to courtroom data displaying that, on Oct. 30, the Fairfield Police Division obtained a lacking particular person report for Beauchamp, final seen leaving a Halloween social gathering in Sacramento earlier that morning with two active-duty airmen from Travis Air Drive Base who had been residing off-base within the 2900 block of Cascade Lane in Fairfield.
Shapiro mentioned Beauchamp’s cellphone communications with pal Sarah Schlegel, 21, of Sacramento, the prosecution’s first witness, shall be entered into proof.
Additionally, Shapiro famous that one of many airmen, Juan Parra-Peralta, 20 on the time, had been courting Beauchamp for a couple of month, pondering he had damaged up with Jessica Quintanilla.
Shortly after the taking pictures, in line with Shapiro, Jessica Quintanilla allegedly advised Parra-Peralta, “You did this,” and threatened to hurt him if he didn’t assist her attempt to cowl up the crime.
The pair allegedly wrapped Beauchamp’s physique in a blanket, inserting it in Parra-Peralta’s automobile, then, with Jessica Quintanilla reportedly poking a semi-automatic handgun into his ribcage, drove to San Jose, the place Beauchamp lived. They allegedly stopped at a ironmongery shop in San Jose to purchase a shovel and different gadgets, then drove to the Corral De Tierra Highway space in Salinas, depositing the physique there.
Shapiro advised jurors that, within the early hours of Oct. 31, Jessica Quintanilla and Parra-Peralta returned to Travis AFB, the place they met with the airmen’s roommate in a base dormitory and that Parra-Peralta appeared “scared.”
Later within the day on Oct. 31, Quintanilla and Parra-Peralta returned to the Cascade Lane residence to scrub up the bed room the place the taking pictures occurred, then “drove around to different Dumpsters in Vallejo” to eliminate proof, Shapiro mentioned.
Marcos Quintanilla arrived at Jessica’s condominium, and Parra-Peralta left Jessica Quintanilla and confessed what he knew, mentioned Shapiro.
Lt. Jausiah Jacobsen, the Fairfield Police Division’s public info officer on the time, mentioned warrants had been issued to look the Cascade Lane residence on Oct. 31.
Police investigators ended up arresting the Quintanillas and Parra-Peralta.
Court docket data present Jessica Quintanilla was arrested on Oct. 31 close to the intersection of Railroad Avenue and Linscheid Drive in Fairfield. It’s unclear when and the place Marco Quintanilla, a beforehand convicted felon, was taken into custody.
Additionally, courtroom data present that Parra-Peralta was not charged within the case, however, Shapiro advised jurors, he was discharged from the Air Drive underneath “less-than-honorable” situations.
Fairfield officers labored with Travis AFB’s Workplace of Particular Investigations and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Workplace, as Beauchamp’s stays had been later found in Salinas.
Shapiro mentioned jurors will hear testimony that “Jessica did not like Leilani,” and listen to Dr. Arnold Josselson, a Fairfield pathologist who carried out the post-mortem, testify that the bullet entered Beauchamp’s head and “exited on the right side of her head.”
DNA, fingerprints, firearms, cellphone communications between the siblings, and Marco Quintanilla’s ankle monitor information additionally shall be entered into proof, Shapiro famous.
Jessica Quintanilla, who’s being held with out bail on first-degree homicide prices within the Claybank Detention Facility in Fairfield, is represented by San Francisco-based lawyer William Alan Welch.
Through the afternoon session, Welch started his opening assertion with a citation from Parra-Peralta and his Travis AFB roommate, Damien Ponders, who, Welch mentioned, “had a sinking feeling” about what could have occurred.
Parra-Peralta, mentioned Welch, allegedly advised Ponders, “She’s trying to pin it on me” and “That’s why you have to help me, bro. Please help me.”
At occasions, it appeared Welch’s assertion was considerably convoluted and was unclear how he was going to defend Quintanilla and handle the case.
Marco A. Quintanilla, 30, of Pittsburg, appeared in Division 11 of Solano County Superior Court docket throughout his November 2021 arraignment in connection to the Oct. 30, 2021, dying of Leilani Beauchamp, 19, of Carmel. After posting bail, he was launched from custody.(Joel Rosenbaum / Reporter File Photograph)
Marco Quintanilla, additionally charged with violating his parole related to a felony conviction for tried homicide, is represented by San Francisco lawyer Laurie D. Savill. He was beforehand being held on the Stanton Correctional Facility in Fairfield on $50,000 bail, however, on Feb. 2, 2022, he posted bail on the parole cost and was launched.
Solano County Chief Deputy District Legal professional Paul Sequeira advised reporters after Nov. 2, 2021, proceedings that the killing could have stemmed from a “love triangle situation” because the investigation continued.
If convicted, Jessica Quintanilla faces 25 years to life in jail and maybe extra time for using a firearm.
The trial resumes at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday in Division 11 within the Justice Middle in Fairfield.
