Man’s conviction upheld for killing wife in front of children

A state appeals court panel Thursday upheld an Inglewood man’s conviction for fatally shooting his wife in the head in front of their four young children in 2015.

In a 2-1 ruling, the panel from California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal noted that there had been “ongoing and consistent discord” between Andy Steve Valdez and his wife, Sandra, and that “prior acts of violence against the same victim and a pattern of marital discord are extremely probative on the issue of Valadez’s mental state in shooting his wife.”

Acting Presiding Justice Luis Lavin wrote in a dissenting ruling that he would reverse the judgment and remand the case for retrial, writing that he was not confident that a juror who was removed from the case before deliberations began had lacked sufficient proficiency in English to fully understand the evidence and instructions.

Valadez was convicted in January 2020 of second-degree murder, criminal threats and child abuse, with jurors finding true allegations that he had personally used a firearm during the commission of the crimes on Nov. 11, 2015.

The victim’s 63-year-old aunt ran into the home when she heard the gunfire and struggled with Valadez over the gun after he threatened the couple’s children, authorities said.

Valadez was arrested that day by Inglewood police who were responding to a call of shots fired at the home in the 400 block of West Olive Street.

He is serving a 56-year-to-life state prison sentence.

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