Alicia Martinez - Colorado - Dismembered

[LadyBlue]

Jury selection in Alicia Martinez dismembering case delayed by competency question

A last minute competency question by the defense has delayed jury selection in the murder trial of Edward Timothy Romero, accused of shooting and dismembering a Denver teen nearly two years ago.

Jurors who had gathered this morning to be questioned by attorneys from both sides were dismissed until 1 p.m.

Romero has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity in the Oct. 22, 2010 slaying of 16-year-old Alicia Martinez, who attended a party in Romero's garage the night she died.

In November, a state hospital evaluator found that Romero was capable of distinguishing right from wrong at the time of the slaying.

A second, court-appointed forensic psychiatrist found in February that Romero was both sane during the crime and was competent to proceed to trial, meaning he was able to understand proceedings and aid in his own defense.

Romero's former girlfriend has already been convicted and sentenced for her role in the gruesome plan to cover up Martinez's death, which included chopping up the teen's body in the couple's garage and basement.Francesca Pagliosotti was sentenced in July to 10 years in prison.

Opening statements were expected in Romero's trial by Thursday. It's unclear how the new competency question will affect his pending trial.
www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_21689108/jury-selection-alicia-martinez-dismembering-case-delayed-by

[LadyBlue]

Jacquelyn Perea, 29, pleaded guilty Monday to a felony count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and misdemeanor marijuana-possession charge for the night she left 16-year-old Alicia Martinez at a Denver, Colorado house party where she was later murdered and dismembered.

Perea was a neighbor to 16-year-old Martinez’s mother. She took the teen to a house party at the home of Edward Romero, 27, on the night of Oct. 22, 2010. Perea knew that there would be alcohol and drugs present -- she even provided Martinez with marijuana that night, 7News reports.

Later that night Perea left without the teenaged Martinez who had passed out at Romero’s home - Martinez was never seen alive again. The next day, Perea reported Martinez missing and two days later Martinez body was found in Romero’s garage, prosecutors said to The Denver Post.

7News reports that 16-year-old Martinez was shot in the head twice, then cut to pieces after she was dead by Romero. Romero, with the help of his girlfriend, Francesca Pagliasotti, 25, then hid her body parts in garbage bags which were found stored in a plastic tub in Romero’s garage.

The Denver Post reports that after the vicious slaying of Martinez, Romero bizarrely offered to help her friends and relatives pass out fliers asking for help in finding the missing Martinez.

Martinez body was so mutilated when discovered by police that it had to be identified only through dental records, according to 9News.

Perea recieved a two-year probationary sentence for the marijuana count and two years of supervised deferred-judgement on the contributing felony count, meaning if she commits no further crimes the felony count will be wiped from her record, 9News reports. She has agreed to help with the prosecution of Romero.

Romero has pleaded not guilty of first degree murder by reason of insanity. He also faces two counts of possession of a weapon by a previous offender. His girlfriend, Pagliasotti, has pleaded not guilty to felony obstruction of justice for allegedly helping her boyfriend conceal the body. They both await trial.
www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/28/jacquelyn-perea-pleads-gu_n_886180.html