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LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The California Supreme Court refused Wednesday to review the case of a Montebello man who was convicted of murdering his girlfriend in a Baldwin Park motel room, where her body was discovered nearly a week later.
Nicolas Manos, now 36, is serving a 25-year-to-life sentence for the June 2017 killing of Nancy Ester Mederos.
In a 2-1 ruling in March, a panel from California's 2nd District Court of Appeal rejected the defense's contention that there was insufficient evidence of premeditation and deliberation to support Manos' June 2019 conviction for first-degree murder.
The appellate court panel's majority noted that Manos -- whose relationship with the woman was "volatile and marred by violence" -- failed to help the 19-year-old woman after he inflicted "severe and repeated injuries," did not call 911 after he struck her because he did not want to go to jail, sent taunting text messages to one of her friends and "had the presence of mind to reassure the victim's family she was alive and safe."
In a dissenting opinion, Associate Justice Lamar Baker wrote that there was "substantial evidence" that Manos "committed murder, but not premeditated and deliberate first degree murder." Baker concluded that "the evidence does not justify a first degree murder conviction."
Police were summoned to the motel after a housekeeper spotted someone who was possibly unconscious on the bed on June 30, 2017. Police subsequently found the victim's body on the floor.
She had been dead for six days and died of blunt force trauma and other undetermined factors, according to coroner's records.
Manos was arrested the following day by Baldwin Park police.