GUILTY MD - Three children, ages 8-10, murdered in Baltimore, 27 May 2004

[LovelyPigeon]

Police release 'person of interest'; Mexican government helping family
BALTIMORE - Baltimore police say they've released the initial "person of interest" they questioned after the slayings of three children yesterday.

That man was not charged. Two relatives of the children -- 22-year-old Policarpio Espinosa and 17-year-old Alan Espinosa Canela -- are charged with three counts each of first-degree murder.

The Mexican government identified Policarpio Espinosa as the children's uncle and Adan Espinosa Canela as their cousin.

Officials in Mexico have also identified the children's parents as Ricardo Espinosa, Mimi Quesada and Maria Andrea Espejo. It's not known who the parents of each child were.

The government of Mexico is helping the children's family, offering legal and financial aid to the stricken parents. The Foreign Relations Department says the parents were undocumented immigrants and that their children were born in Mexico City and the state of Veracruz.

http://www.insidebaltimore.com/news/local/04-05-28-slain-kids2.shtml

 

[LovelyPigeon]

--->>
According to the charges, Espinoza, who was described as the brother of the father of two of the slain children, drove Canela to the apartment where the children lived.

Espinoza stayed in the car as Canela, his cousin, knocked on the front door around 4:20 p.m. Thursday. He identified himself to the children, who let him enter, according to the court papers.

Canela left the apartment through a back window about 5 p.m. and met Espinoza in a nearby parking lot. Espinoza asked Canela what he was doing for so long. Canela said he was playing with the children, the documents said. --->>

Police searched their home on Friday and found a shirt and towel stained with what was believed to be blood, documents said. --->>

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-05-29-baltimore-deaths_x.htm

 

[Amraann]

LP in the future I urge you to hit the alert button when you view such a post.

Babs I take offense to what you posted... First off the terminology "Hispanic"
does not in reality relate to a specific culture.
As there are many diverse and certainly culteral difference amongst those from differing "hispanic" cultures. IMO Hispanic refers to those who speak Spanish or are of Latino lineage.
That lineage could be Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Guatomolian (sp?)... and trust me many of these would be serously offended to be confused with the other. (due to their own racism issues)

And if we are to speak of killing children and heritage, us white people have our own history.......And it seems to trancend socio-economic, education and others levels. As well as the mode of killing or even motive.

In light of my above words I have to question what culture?
If these are cultural related murders it would stand that there is a cultural link.
Just saying that those involved are Hispanic does not intone a culteral link.
No more so then to say they were WHITE intones cultural link.
IE: WHites who are??? Swedish? American? Irish? English? Canadian? African? Cuban?

Yes, there are white Africans and very white blonde haired blued eyed Cubans..
I am just trying to illustrate that "hispanic" is no more cultural than "white"
is.
And to jump to the conclusion that because the parties involved maybe all spoke Spanish creates some type of culteral link is at the very least ill-guided.
For that matter if they were from differing hispanic cultures their spanish language varies in many ways.. Much like American English differs from Brittans English Or Sicillain Italian differs from other regional speach... Or Canadian French Differs from Paris French......

Rather then address what may or may not have been a racist comment I choose to focus on the error that Hispanic is a culture.
Much like Florida Crackers and New England Yankees have their very own culture as do those of Hispanic heritage.
Therefore I see no cultural coralation between these to cases......

 

[Ticamom]

LP in the future I urge you to hit the alert button when you view such a post.

Babs I take offense to what you posted... First off the terminology "Hispanic"
does not in reality relate to a specific culture.
As there are many diverse and certainly culteral difference amongst those from differing "hispanic" cultures. IMO Hispanic refers to those who speak Spanish or are of Latino lineage.
That lineage could be Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Guatomolian (sp?)... and trust me many of these would be serously offended to be confused with the other. (due to their own racism issues)

And if we are to speak of killing children and heritage, us white people have our own history.......And it seems to trancend socio-economic, education and others levels. As well as the mode of killing or even motive.

In light of my above words I have to question what culture?
If these are cultural related murders it would stand that there is a cultural link.
Just saying that those involved are Hispanic does not intone a culteral link.
No more so then to say they were WHITE intones cultural link.
IE: WHites who are??? Swedish? American? Irish? English? Canadian? African? Cuban?

Yes, there are white Africans and very white blonde haired blued eyed Cubans..
I am just trying to illustrate that "hispanic" is no more cultural than "white"
is.
And to jump to the conclusion that because the parties involved maybe all spoke Spanish creates some type of culteral link is at the very least ill-guided.
For that matter if they were from differing hispanic cultures their spanish language varies in many ways.. Much like American English differs from Brittans English Or Sicillain Italian differs from other regional speach... Or Canadian French Differs from Paris French......

Rather then address what may or may not have been a racist comment I choose to focus on the error that Hispanic is a culture.
Much like Florida Crackers and New England Yankees have their very own culture as do those of Hispanic heritage.
Therefore I see no cultural coralation between these to cases......

Well said, Amraan !!!!!

I also took offense at babcat's post. I am sorry babs, but it is unacceptable.
Being half "white " and half Latino, I am deeply offended by the racial undertones of your post. The color of your skin and your cultural heritage have nothing to do with aterrible crime, Babs. Crime is crime. Everywhere.

You may try to rationalize it all you want, but it is still deeply offensive. Guatemalans, Costarricans, Panamanias, Puertorricans, Cubans, Mexicans, are all latinos, but their cultures are richly diverse. To lump them all together and make use of a sarcastic salsa comment doesn't put you in a very good light, I'm afraid.

 

[mysteriew]

Maryland Baltimore

A Baltimore Circuit Court judge denied yesterday a defense request to postpone the murder trial of two men accused of slashing the throats of three young relatives - meaning that the trial is likely to begin Wednesday.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/lo...un03,1,5138533.story?coll=bal-local-headlines

 

[sharon25]

The trial of two Mexican immigrants accused of slashing the throats of three children is scheduled to begin today, and once a jury is seated, prosecutors and defense attorneys will present different versions of what happened last year in a Northwest Baltimore apartment

Police and prosecutors believe Policarpio Espinoza, 23, and his nephew, Adan Canela, 18, an uncle and a cousin, respectively, of the dead children, used a fillet knife to behead one and partially decapitate the other two.

The two men, neither of whom speaks fluent English, are scheduled to be tried together in Baltimore City Circuit Court in a case that could go on for weeks and be filled with Perry Mason-like twists orchestrated by defense attorneys. Espinoza and Canela are each charged with three counts of first-degree murder.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/crime/bal-md.evidence08jun08,1,153200.story?coll=bal-home-headlines&ctrack=1&cset=true

 

[mysteriew]

The trial of two Mexican immigrants accused of slashing the throats of three children is scheduled to begin today, and once a jury is seated, prosecutors and defense attorneys will present different versions of what happened last year in a Northwest Baltimore apartment.

Police and prosecutors believe Policarpio Espinoza, 23, and his nephew, Adan Canela, 18, an uncle and a cousin, respectively, of the dead children, used a fillet knife to behead one and partially decapitate the other two.

Ricardo Solis Quezada Jr. and his sister, Lucero Solis Quezada, both 9, and their 10-year-old male cousin, Alexis Espejo Quezada, were killed in their Fallstaff apartment after returning home from school the afternoon of May 27, 2004.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/lo...8jun08,1,153200.story?coll=bal-home-headlines

 

[Filly]

Appeals court overturns convictions.




http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/crime/blog/2011/06/appeals_court_overturns_convic.html




Rest in peace beautiful children.

 

[MorenoI]

Third Trial is set for the accused:

updated 4:14 p.m. EDT, September 8, 2011

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...spinoza-arraignments-20110908,0,2906396.story

 

[MissSunshine]

The first trial ended in a hung jury. In trial number two, the state’s highest court threw out a conviction, saying the judge made mistakes. On Monday morning, a judge ruled the men will be tried separately for the third trial.

Ricardo Espinoza, his sister, Lucero, and their cousin Alexis Quazada. The boys were strangled, all were beaten–their throats slashed–at an apartment in Northwest Baltimore in May 2004.

In another twist, the patriarch of the family, Victor Espinoza, was killed in a murder-for-hire plot. His wife sits in a Mexican jail, convicted of the crime

But after all these years and trials, no motive was ever developed, and many family members have remained staunchly behind Espinoza Perez and Canela, saying they are innocent.

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/...ation-death-of-3-kids-to-be-tried-separately/

 

[MissSunshine]

I have never fully believed the men charged were guilty. The forensics they had weren't that great. It has been like 9 yrs so I expect the prosecution to have a seriously strong case by now.

 

[MissSunshine]

More information on third trial. Plus new twist

In another twist, the patriarch of the family, Victor Espinoza, was killed in a murder-for-hire plot. His wife sits in a Mexican jail, convicted of the crime.

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/...ation-death-of-3-kids-to-be-tried-separately/

 

[MissSunshine]

jurors were back in court at 9:30 a.m. after deliberating for about two hours Thursday afternoon.

n closing arguments, prosecutors showed jurors their smiling pictures along with the knife used to almost decapitate them and the bat used to beat the little boys to death inside their apartment in Northwest Baltimore almost a decade ago.

Espinoza Perez says he and Canela drove to the apartment building and that Canela told him to wait inside the truck while he went to talk to his dad. He says Canela was inside for about 12 minutes and then came out a back window, went back to the truck and was acting weird

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/...harged-with-murdering-3-young-family-members/

 

[MissSunshine]

They sent several notes to the judge, the last one said “we are hopelessly deadlocked.”

The judge urged jurors to come back Monday morning for deliberations with renewed energy. It’s unclear at this point–if they are truly hung–whether there will be a fourth trial for Espinoza Perez.

http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/...harged-with-murdering-3-young-family-members/

 

[MissSunshine]

BREAKING NEWS: A verdict is in in the Policarpio Espinoza trial. He was found not guilty on 2nd degree murder charges, the jury handed down a guilty verdict on charges of conspiracy. A mistrial was declared on the charge of first degree murder. Stay with us for reaction. Espinoza was charged with killing three children in 2004.

https://www.facebook.com/FOXBaltimore

 

[OkieGranny]

From April 2013:

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/20...ney-nicholas-panteleakis-adan-espinoza-canela

A Baltimore judge sentenced Policarpio Espinoza Perez to life in prison Monday for conspiring to murder his brother's two children and their young cousin nearly a decade ago in a killing described as the "most horrific" to ever come before the court.

The parents of Ricardo and Lucero Espinoza, 8 and 9 years old, came home to their Fallstaff apartment in May 2004 to find the boys and their 10-year-old cousin, Alexis Espejo Quezada, beaten and mutilated, their throats cut and bleeding...

After three trials — the first ended in a hung jury, and murder convictions in the second were overturned on appeal — they still have no answers about why the Cross Country Elementary School children were killed, other than a vague theory by prosecutors involving revenge and jealousy.

From August 2013:

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/20...za-perez-adan-espinoza-canela-lucero-espinoza

Adan Espinoza Canela pleaded guilty on Thursday to slashing the throats of three young relatives, more than nine years after the children's beaten and bloodied bodies were found in a Northwest Baltimore apartment.

Espinoza Canela, 26, was sentenced to 30 years in prison Thursday. He will be eligible for parole by 2019.