A California man killed his wife on Christmas Eve, then the next day placed her body on a sofa in front of their kids as they were opening Christmas presents, a prosecutor said Monday.
The suspect allegedly told the children, “Mommy ruined Christmas, she got drunk and ruined Christmas,” the Associated Press reported.
This was the scene presented to jurors Monday as William Wallace, 39, of Anaheim, began to face trial.
The prosecutor said Wallace murdered 26-year-old Za’Zell Preston during a Christmas Eve fight in 2011. Preston’s body was found slumped over on a couch when paramedics arrived. Preston left behind a newborn son and two daughters, who were three and eight years old at the time.
“This Christmas story does not have a happy ending, and unfortunately, this is not just a story, it is real life,” Heather Brown, the senior deputy district attorney in Orange County, said Monday, the Orange County Register reported.
Wallace’s attorney Heather Moorhead said Preston died by falling into a glass table while drunk.
“Mr. Wallace is being accused of something that is not his fault,” Moorhead told jurors. “You will hear about a relationship that was full of arguing and yelling, but also a lot of love.”
If convicted of first-degree murder, Wallace could face up to 25 years to life in prison.
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