GUILTY CO - Fem, in Suitcase in Dumpster, Pueblo, Oct 2019 - Maria Agnes Cuevas-Garcia *Son & wife ARRESTED

[Seattle1]

https://www.koaa.com/news/covering-...or-man-accused-of-killing-dismembering-mother

7/6/21

[..]

In the first half-hour, the prosecution made their concerns knows regarding the fact that Melanie Cuevas, Anthony's wife, is also facing separate charges pertaining to the murder if her mother-in-law, Maria Cuevas-Garcia. They discussed potential conflicts that could occur within Anthony's trial, depending on how his wife's charges unfold.

“They just want to keep it separate. They’re two separate cases. Two separate sets of facts, the whole bit, and so they don’t want another set of facts influencing this case and the possibility of a mistrial,” said Judge Dennis Maes, providing some insight into the issue.

Maes expects that the long list of witnesses will diminish drastically, but says “The length of the trial, I couldn't even begin to guess how long it would be".

As the case resurfaces over a year and a half since part of Garcia's dismembered body was first found, many of those who knew her are reliving her death.

[..]

Opening statements are projected to begin on Wednesday or Thursday. The trial is scheduled to last until July 19 but is subject to change.

News5 will keep you updated as trial proceedings begin in Pueblo.

Pueblo Police Department
Pueblo Police released this image of a man placing a suitcase in a dumpster after finding a woman's body inside. (Oct. 2019)

 

[Alcina]

Thank you for all the updates Seattle1

 

[Seattle1]

Natalie Chuck KOAA@NatalieChuck

Showed up to court at 8:00 am to check on the Cuevas trial. Sounds like we can expect opening statements to start today While jury selection goes on, media won’t be in the courtroom, but there is a good chance it will be on WebEx again to watch.
@KOAA

7:17 AM · Jul 8, 2021

 

[Seattle1]

Heather Willard @HeatherDWrites

It appears we may be reaching the end of jury selection today in the Cuevas homicide trial, and with any luck, there will be opening arguments today. Catch up on the case details here:

Trial begins in Pueblo for Monte Vista man accused of killing, dismembering mother
A jury trial began Tuesday for a son accused of killing and dismembering his mother in October 2019. His wife has also been implicated in the crime.
chieftain.com

7:05 AM · Jul 8, 2021

 

[JerseyGirl]

Trial underway in Pueblo for man accused of killing, dismembering mother

There's no question it was Anthony Cuevas seen on surveillance video dumping a suitcase containing the dismembered body of his mother in a South Side car wash's dumpster in 2019, as both the defense and prosecution agreed in their opening statements Thursday it is indeed Cuevas on the film.

However, Cuevas' defense lawyers maintain that their client had nothing to do with the killing or dismembering of Maria "Mary" Cuevas-Garcia, his 58-year-old mother. Instead, the defense argued Thursday that Anthony's wife, Melanie Cuevas, believed Cuevas-Garcia was a "witch," and had searched on her phone prior to Cuevas-Garcia's death for ways to kill and dispose of a witch.

 

[Seattle1]

Heather Willard
@HeatherDWrites

Today was wild. Read all about it, and follow me/
@ChieftainNews
for further updates as this jury will hear testimony from the first witness tomorrow morning.
Quote Tweet

The Pueblo Chieftain

@ChieftainNews
· 13h
Defendant admits to dumping mother's body, denies involvement in death, dismemberment Trial underway in Pueblo for man accused of killing, dismembering mother
7:01 PM · Jul 8, 2021 from Pueblo, CO

 

[Seattle1]

Trial underway in Pueblo for man accused of killing, dismembering mother

July 8, 2021

Opening statements of defense, prosecution
The prosecution, led by Deputy District Attorney James Poland, stated that after Cuevas-Garcia's body was dumped at the car wash, Anthony drove his mother's sedan, a 2018 Nissan Versa that can be seen on the surveillance video, to a scrapyard. The vehicle was fairly new in 2019 and fully functional, Poland said.

The vehicle was sold to the scrapyard for $70, Poland said. He noted Anthony had allegedly asked that the vehicle be crushed as soon as possible as Melanie waited outside the office in a white Hyundai SUV also owned by Cuevas-Garcia.

[..]

Dubois listed several actions that Anthony took which "he regrets," including his drug addiction, disposal of his mother's dismembered torso, sale of the sedan to the scrapyard, theft from the pickup truck and using a check stolen from the truck to withdraw $250, in addition to fleeing from police.

However, Dubois maintained that Anthony did not kill his mother. Instead, he pointed to "bad blood" between Melanie and Cuevas-Garcia, including that each woman believed the other was a "witch."

However, Poland mentioned that DNA was found inside of a pair of rubber gloves found in the area where Cuevas-Garcia's body was likely dismembered, due to a large presence of poorly obscured blood.

Her dismembered body parts were found five months after her torso was discovered, Poland said, and he noted the condition of Cuevas-Garcia's head, hands and feet were consistent with having been refrigerated for a period of time.

Poland also said jurors would hear during the trial a recorded interview of Anthony telling police that he stabbed Cuevas-Garcia. Dubois purported that Anthony did say he stabbed Cuevas-Garcia, but did so to protect Melanie. Dubois also said Anthony was unable to accurately say how many times, or where Cuevas-Garcia had been stabbed.

 

[Seattle1]

Anthony Cuevas trial begins for man accused of killing, dismembering mom

July 9, 2021
This story has been updated to reflect Friday morning's court proceedings

Autopsy technician explains wounds, jury hears Cuevas' first interview with police
On Friday, the state called it's first witness for the case, Dr. Daniel Lingamfelter, a forensic pathologist, to testify about the autopsy he conducted on Cuevas-Garcia's remains in two parts. The first part was her torso, which was recovered about five months before her hands, feet and head.

Lingamfelter explained that the body had eight stab wounds to the upper portion of the chest and four additional stab wounds to the back of the neck.

[..]

The amputations of her hands, feet and head were also likely performed after death, Lingamfelter said.

He said he detected a scattering of blunt force trauma impacts across Cuevas-Garcia's body, but the marks were too indistinct to point to a weapon.

Lingamfelter said he is not trained to discern what manner of tools were used and was unable to say how the amputations to the body were performed.

Because the condition of the victim's head, hands and feet were not decomposed to the scale he would have anticipated without attempts at preservation, Lingamfelter opined that the body was refrigerated or frozen for some of the months prior to its discovery.

Following the forensic pathologist's testimony, the State called a series of witnesses involved in the discovery of the suitcase in the dumpster and the sale of the Nissan Versa sedan to Dionisio Metal & Iron.

Employees of the scrapyard said the customer, who they identified in court as Cuevas, was nervous and asked if the vehicle could be "smashed" immediately.

The scrapyard maintains a policy of waiting seven days to crush vehicles as they may be stolen, so the vehicle was recovered by police as evidence.

[..]

Before the lunch recess, the State called their advisory counsel, Det. Ron Gravatta of the Pueblo PD, to take the stand. He was one of two officers to interview Cuevas upon his arrest in October 2019. The State used his testimony and presence on the stand to show the video of his interview with Cuevas to the jury.

In the recorded interview, Cuevas tells officers that he did not know why he was in custody, but admitted to running from the cops earlier that day on foot and in a vehicle. He noted that he had lost his shoes while running from law enforcement, showing scratches and injuries to his hands, legs and feet.

However, Cuevas also relayed information that he said was revealed to him by a "witch doctor," saying he had been abused sexually by his mother for years, beginning when he was 5 years old. He said the witch doctor also told him that Cuevas-Garcia had placed a "memory block" on him, which was why he didn't remember the abuse.

Cuevas told law enforcement his step-father, Cuevas-Garcia's husband, was a member of the Mexican Mafia, and that had also contributed to the "awfulness" in his life.

Cuevas said he stabbed Cuevas-Garcia, in response to which "she laughed." He said, hesitantly, that he stabbed her twice in the stomach, but later told police he had no recollection of telling them that. He also denied having any anger toward his mother.

"She sold herself to the devil," he said.

"I still suffer from memory loss from what that woman put me through," he added, and questioned whether he was possessed in some way by a demonic presence

 

[Seattle1]

Anthony Cuevas trial: DNA evidence presented in murder case

July 12, 2021

Gina Mann, a forensic scientist employed by the Colorado Bureau of Investigations, testified about DNA and blood testing of gloves found in Cuevas-Garcia's home next to other suspicious items taken into evidence. These items include a knife handle that matches the knife blade recovered from inside the suitcase where Cuevas-Garcia's torso was discovered. Mann said she tested four rubber/latex gloves and a glove with Denver Broncos branding.

[..]

The DNA profile from the rubber glove found to be suitable for testing showed four possible individuals involved, with strong matches to Anthony, Melanie and Cuevas-Garcia, Mann said.

[..]

Perez testified about several physical pieces of evidence that were shown to the jury, including two portions of a broken T-ball bat, a kitchen knife in a plastic bag, a knife handle found in the disposed suitcase, and the rubber gloves and singular Broncos glove that was tested for DNA and blood presence.

Both Perez and Pueblo police detective Roger Schneider testified they did not see any evidence of pedophilia, child sex trafficking, child *advertiser censored* or witchcraft.

[..]

He denied dumping her body in the police interview but admitted to stabbing her, according to testimony. Cuevas told police he had blacked out and that demons had taken over his body. He told police his eyes had turned black and that Cuevas-Garcia was in the interview room with them.

"(Demons) stood beside by the whole time," he told law enforcement that night. After detectives left the interview room for a period of time and returned, Cuevas admitted to having smoked heroin and struggled to remain conscious, according to testimony.

After this, he was taken to Parkview Hospital by American Medical Response.

Melanie Cuevas is facing a felony charge of accessory to a first- or second-class crime, which would include murder charges, and has a jury trial scheduled for Oct. 18.

 

[Seattle1]

New Google search evidence presented in Anthony Cuevas trial - KRDO

July 13, 2021

According to evidence presented to the jury, Pueblo police were able to locate a phone in the residence of the victim. They received a search warrant for the phone and began looking through the contents of google searches made from October 15th-17th.

The contents of the searches revealed things like, "How to kill a witch?" How to burn a witch?" Does a decomposed body look flaky?" These searches, among others, are linked to a video of Anthony saying he thought his mother was a witch.

However, the defense is claiming that Melanie Cuevas made these searches, not Anthony.

[..]

The trial is expected to last two weeks or more before a verdict is reached.

 

[GoJacks]

Man found guilty for killing mother and throwing her body into a dumpster

PUEBLO, Colo. (KKTV) - A man has been found guilty of killing his mother, putting her body into a suitcase and throwing her into a Pueblo dumpster. The Pueblo County District Attorney tells 11 News the verdict came down Thursday night.


I didn't even realize it had been handed to the jury yet.

 

[Seattle1]

Man found guilty for killing mother and throwing her body into a dumpster

PUEBLO, Colo. (KKTV) - A man has been found guilty of killing his mother, putting her body into a suitcase and throwing her into a Pueblo dumpster. The Pueblo County District Attorney tells 11 News the verdict came down Thursday night.


I didn't even realize it had been handed to the jury yet.

Thanks, @GoJacks... one down, one more to go!

 

[Seattle1]

Thanks, @GoJacks... one down, one more to go!

I was surprised nothing reported that jurors were deliberating.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Cuevas sentenced to life without parole

Former Monte Vista resident Anthony Cuevas, 37, has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his mother, Maria “Mary” Cuevas Garcia.

alamosanews.com

Upon reading the verdict of the jury, Judge Allison Ernst immediately sentenced Cuevas to life without parole.

Woman sentenced for role in gruesome death of mother-in-law

Melanie Cuevas, the wife of Anthony Cuevas, was sentenced to 4 years in prison pleading guilty for her role in the death of her mother-in-law Maria Cuevas-Garcia. Pueblo police found some of the remains of 58-year-old Maria inside a dumpster.

www.koaa.com

Melanie Cuevas, the wife of Anthony Cuevas, was sentenced to 4 years in the department of corrections after pleading guilty to accessory to murder in the death of her mother-in-law Maria Cuevas-Garcia.

 

[Seattle1]

Cuevas sentenced to life without parole

Former Monte Vista resident Anthony Cuevas, 37, has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of his mother, Maria “Mary” Cuevas Garcia.

alamosanews.com

Upon reading the verdict of the jury, Judge Allison Ernst immediately sentenced Cuevas to life without parole.

Woman sentenced for role in gruesome death of mother-in-law

Melanie Cuevas, the wife of Anthony Cuevas, was sentenced to 4 years in prison pleading guilty for her role in the death of her mother-in-law Maria Cuevas-Garcia. Pueblo police found some of the remains of 58-year-old Maria inside a dumpster.

www.koaa.com

Melanie Cuevas, the wife of Anthony Cuevas, was sentenced to 4 years in the department of corrections after pleading guilty to accessory to murder in the death of her mother-in-law Maria Cuevas-Garcia.

How odd.

I wonder why the story was updated on 3/25/2023.

Victim's son was convicted in July 2021, and his wife plead guilty Jan 2022 and was sentenced in May 2022.

Wife of Pueblo man convicted of dismembering his mother sentenced

PUEBLO, Co. — The wife of a Pueblo man charged with the homicide of his mother was sentenced, Friday. Melanie Cuevas was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty in January for being…

www.fox21news.com