LA Suspect found guilty in Nicaraguan Court

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday, October 20, 1998
For the first time in the history of Nicaragua, a Nicaraguan citizen that committed a crime against another Nicaraguan citizen in the United States, was found guilty in a Nicaraguan Court of Law. The suspect had fled Los Angeles after a warrant was issued for his arrest in 1997 for the murder of his wife.

On September 29, 1996, at approximately 9:30 p.m., Edgar Francisco Sevilla returned home drunk. He and his wife Yasmilda Torres-Sevilla (victim) became involved in an argument and thereafter a physical altercation ensued.

Edgar Sevilla hit his wife in the face, knocking her down to the ground, and proceeded to kick her all over her body.

Unbeknown to the victim, she had a head tumor which began to bleed following the beating. The victim underwent surgery in order to remove the bleeding tumor. After the operation, the victim lapsed into a coma and died on January 31, 1997.

Dr. Luis Peña of the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office performed an autopsy on Yasmilda Torres-Sevilla. The death was ruled a homicide due to a sequela of Blunt Head Trauma, as a result of the injuries received on
September 29, 1996.

The LAPD presented the case to the District Attorneys’ Office, Extradition Unit in order to request the extradition of Suspect Sevilla from Nicaragua.

The extradition was denied by the Nicaraguan Supreme Court and in turn made themselves responsible for the prosecution in that country for the crime committed here in Los Angeles.

The Nicaraguan Penal Code states that if an individual injures another and that person dies within 60 days then the aggressor can be processed for murder. If the victim dies after the 60 days then the murder law does not apply.

In this case the victim died within 120 days, therefore Sevilla was processed and found guilty of Aggravated Assault by a jury of his peers, on October 15, 1998. This type of crime carries a penalty of no less than five years and no more that 10 years. The sentence will be handed by the Honorable Judge of the Seventh District Court of Managua, Adda Benicia Vanegas Ramos in approximately 10 days.

For Release 2:35 pm PST
October 20, 1998