A man has received his sentence after being found guilty of murdering his pregnant lover just before she was about to give birth. Jose Soto-Escalera, aged 48, was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder in the case of 23-year-old Tania Wise, who was nearing her due date with a son she had named Josiah.
DNA evidence confirmed Soto-Escalera as the father of the unborn child. Prosecutors revealed that he committed the murders to conceal his relationship with Tania from his wife. Consequently, he has been given the death penalty for the double homicide.
The tragic incident occurred in August 2018, when Tania was discovered in a ditch in northern St. Lucie County, Florida, with severe head injuries and a fatal throat cut. Investigations uncovered communications between Tania and Soto-Escalera, unbeknownst to his wife.
Tania had informed Soto-Escalera of her pregnancy and requested money for an abortion, to which he agreed to provide $500 but the procedure did not take place. Instead, Tania gave the money to another man, enraging Soto-Escalera, who then sought information on acquiring a weapon.
Evidence including phone records and online searches linked Soto-Escalera to the crime scene. The jury, with eight members in favor and four against, recommended the death penalty, a decision the judge upheld, declaring it just and fitting for both victims.
In a separate case, Arizona inmate Richard Djerf, set to be executed for killing the Luna family over 30 years ago, has expressed remorse for his actions in a letter seeking forgiveness before his scheduled execution date on October 17. Djerf, now 55, has acknowledged the pain he caused and hopes for peace through his impending death.
