POMONA (CNS) - A Mexican national who was extradited to Los Angeles pleaded not guilty today to killing his pregnant wife, who was shot to death at her El Monte home in the summer of 2018.
Octavio Curiel-Martinez, now 38, is charged with one count each of murder, murder of a human fetus, attempted murder, shooting at an inhabited dwelling and assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury, along with two counts each of assault with a firearm, injuring a spouse and child endangerment and three misdemeanor counts of cruelty to a child by endangering health.
He is also facing a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, along with allegations that he used a handgun.
Curiel-Martinez is accused of shooting Ana Maria Nunez, who was six months pregnant. The 37-year-old woman and her unborn baby both died as a result, according to prosecutors.
Curiel-Martinez then allegedly drove to his parents' home in El Monte and shot at them while two children were inside the residence, according to prosecutors, who said those victims escaped injury.
He allegedly fled the country. Two days after a federal warrant issued in March 2019 charged him with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, Curiel-Martinez was arrested by Mexican police on unrelated charges in Bolanos, Jalisco, and was subsequently extradited to Los Angeles in January 2020.
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