LOS ANGELES – A man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to fatally stabbing his 82-year-old grandmother in Palmdale in an attack that also left his mother wounded.
Richard Jesus Flores, 29, is charged with the murder of his grandmother, Maria Valenzuela, with whom he lived, and the attempted murder of his 56-year- old mother, who was injured as she tried to shield the older woman, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The case includes allegations that Flores used a letter opener and a garden tool as deadly weapons and that he inflicted great bodily injury.
The incident happened around 3:29 p.m. Thursday, March 30, in the 37000 block of Springfield Street in Palmdale, sheriff’s officials said.
Deputies responding to the attack in the 37000 block of Springfield Street encountered Flores walking down the street covered in blood, according to Deputy Trina Schrader of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau. Flores allegedly told the deputies he was involved in the attack to which they were responding.
When deputies got to the residence, they found Flores’ mother, who led them to Valenzuela’s body. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Flores’ mother was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Flores — who was arrested that day — has remained jailed since then in lieu of $2 million bail and faces up to 33 years to life in prison if convicted as charged.
He is due back in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom July 26, when a date is scheduled to be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to require him to stand trial.
Previous related stories:
Man charged with murder, attempted murder in Palmdale stabbing
Grandmother killed, mother injured in Palmdale double-stabbing
Paranoid Android says
I think I need to be on drugs to follow this rant about drugs. How does killing your relative have anything to do with going to a club where they drug women and take them to Paris? Glad Liam Niesom is alive and well to save me.
CAKE says
WOW!! I actually got the positive message that comment was trying to make ……Thank you cuz it takes one to know one. And having good intentions is a good starting place to leading a clean and emotionally fulfilling life. The goal is to be happy, just not at the expense of others.
MAGNETLADY says
How much more ”evidence” do they need? A woman is DEAD!
Irean` says
A person enters a plea of not guilty so that they can go to trial. If they plead guilty, they waive their right to trial. They are hoping to get either a deal or will try to get it thrown out on some technicality.
Tim Scott says
Good point. A woman is dead and that’s all the evidence we need that you did it. You should plead guilty immediately.
Irena says
Yeah, now that I re-read my own comment it sounds as though I am assuming the suspect is actually guilty. He may or may not be. My point was there are a few reasons why an actual guilty person might plead not guilty.
Jun20 says
PEOPLE IF YOUR DOING DRUG’S, PLEASE PLEASE STOP RIGHT NOW!!!
ITS NOT WORTH IT, TO LOSE YOUR FAMILY MEMBER..
AND IF YOU DO DRUG’S, DON’T GIVE THEM TO OTHERS… DO YOU WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE IF THEY DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS??
THE PERSON GIVING YOU DRUG’S COULD BE INTENTIONALLY WANTING YOU TO HURT SOMEONE OR EVEN HURT YOUR SELF..
THEY COULD BE INTENTIONALLY PUTTING STUFF IN IT THAT CAUSE’S YOU TO GET SUPER VIOLENT…AND YOU MIGHT BE THE NEXT ONE TO COMMIT MURDER..
GET IN CHURCH OR TO A MEETING, TALK TO OTHERS THAT ARE CLEAN AND SOBER AND STAY AWAY FROM PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS..!! IT’S NOT A JOKE… LOOK AT THIS SITUATION THAT LOST A GRANDMA…
[removed] DRUG’S AND THOSE WHO KEEP SPREADING THEM AROUND!!
DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU PARTICIPATE IN DOING DRUGS YOUR NOT ONLY WEAKENING YOUR SENSES TO BE ABUSED, AND RIPPED OFF, BUT YOUR ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEMS THAT COME FROM DRUGS. LIKE, RAPE, OF NOT ONLY WOMEN OR MEN, BUT OF CHILDREN!!! DO YOU WANT TO BE A PART IF THAT??? HELL NO!! I WANT TO PROTECT MINE AND OTHERS AND YOU BETTER WATCH OUT BECAUSE WERE NOT PLAYING WITH THIS BEHAVIOUR!!
IS SOMEONE THREATENING YOU OR IS SOMEONE COMING AND YOU SEE YOUR FAMILY OR FRIEND BEING TREATED BAD, REPORT THEM.. IT HAS GOTTEN SO BAD THAT I BELIEVE THERE TARGETING YOUNG MOTHER’S, AND THEY TAKE THERE KIDS AND WHO KNOWS IS GETTING THEM, BECAUSE YOU CAN’T TRUST FOSTER PARENTS EITHER.
THEY KEEP EVERYTHING HUSH HUSH, UNTIL SOMEONE FINDS OUT.
>>>>WOMEN, GIRL’S, MOTHER’S, IS SOMEONE MALE OR FEMALE COMING AROUND SAYING THEY NEED A PLACE TO STAY OR WANT TO GO TO THE CLUB WITH YOU, WATCH OUT, THIS IS HOW THEY BEFRIEND YOU. YEP, SLICK, BE YOUR FRIEND, OFFER TO TAKE YOU OUT TO EAT OR TO A CLUB OR EVEN HAVE A PARTY AT YOUR HOUSE….A SLICK MFUKR COULD BE PAYING THEM TO GET YOU ON DRUGS, GET YOU TO A CLUB, WHERE THIS SLICK MFKR IS WAITING TO BUY YOU A DRINK AND ONCE YOUR DRUGGED UP NICE AND GOOD, YOUR SOOO VULNERABLE THAT HE COULD TAKE YOU AND KIDNAP YOU AND SELL YOU TO THE SEX TRAFFICKERS, FRANCE PARIS, AND I HEARD THEY PAY A LOT OF MONEY… DON’T GET TRICKED BY ANYONE, STAY AROUND FAMILY THAT CAN PROTECT YOU IF YOUR DRINKING…PERIOD…
THEY COULD HAVE TARGET THIS GUY TO GET HIM OUT IF THE WAY OR SOME CRAZY REASON…..DON’T TAKE CHANCES… I’M LOOKING OUT FOR YOU BECAUSE I’VE SEEN IT… BE SMART…GET AWAY IF YOUR BEING BEFRIENDED BY SOMEONE WHO IS DOING THINGS AND WON’T LEAVE YOU ALONE…ALWAYS TRYING TO MANIPULATE YOU.. TAKE CARE IF YOURSELF…LOVE YOURSELF….DO THINGS TO MAKE YOURSELF HAPPY AND BECAREFUL…YOU COULD BE NEXT AND WHO WILL YOU LET GET YOU ON DRUG’S?? DON’T DO IT!!! GOD BLESS YOU.
Eryka says
WoW. Just say no yourself.
me says
Every time someone does something wrong, it’s always blamed on drugs. That person is just a bad person, and it has nothing to do with drugs.