Saginaw, MI: Saginaw man who beat his wife to death with hammer gets 40 to 60 years in prison

By Andy Hoag | The Saginaw News
March 16, 2010, 4:54PM
View full sizeAshley Conti | The Saginaw News
Lisa Ramirez, 31, of Saginaw, sister of Erica L. Olguin, wipes away tears while addressing Saginaw County Circuit Judge Janet M. Boes during the sentencing of Olguin's husband, Jose A. Olguin, this afternoon. Olguin pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the beating death of his wife and was sentenced to 40 to 60 years in prison.
Jose A. Olguin walked into Saginaw County Circuit Judge Janet M. Boes’ courtroom this afternoon, chained at the wrists and ankles, in the same orange Saginaw County Jail jumpsuit he’s worn since his November 2008 arrest.

Olguin, who pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder in the beating death of his wife, Erica L. Olguin, will exchange that orange jumpsuit for a navy blue state Department of Corrections one that he’ll wear for at least 40 more years.

Ashley Conti | The Saginaw News
Jose A. Olguin, right, listens during his sentencing from Saginaw County Circuit Judge Janet M. Boes this afternoon at the Saginaw County Governmental Center, 111 S. Michigan in Saginaw.
Boes sentenced Olguin, 36, to 40 to 60 years in prison for killing his wife Nov. 23, 2008, at their home at 1413 Mackinaw in Saginaw.

The judge also sentenced Olguin to six to 10 years for carrying a dangerous weapon, a hammer, with unlawful intent, but ordered Olguin to serve the sentence concurrently with the murder sentence. Boes gave Olguin credit for the 476 days he’s already served and ordered him to pay about $2,500 in restitution to his wife’s family.

Several members of Erica Olguin’s family spoke of the impact her death has had on their family, including her two sisters, Lisa Ramirez and Rachel Hernandez.

Hernandez, said her sister, a mother of four, was a “very humble woman.” She said she thanked the “community and churches for their support, prayers, and outpour of love” for their family.

Hernandez, who adopted Erica Olguin’s four children — three of which were Jose Olguin’s daughters — told Jose Olguin, “We forgive you.”

Jose Olguin did not comment when Boes gave him the opportunity. His Saginaw-based attorney, James F. Piazza, said his client has “much remorse” for the “tragic incident.”

Olguin told police that the morning after the killing, he took his children — an 11-year-old boy and three girls, ages 8, 5, and 3 — to school.

View full sizeAshley Conti | The Saginaw News
Ruth Perez, 54, of Saginaw, cries during the sentencing of Jose A. Olguin this afternoon at the Saginaw County Governmental Center, 111 S. Michigan in Saginaw. Olguin pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the beating death of his wife and Perez's daughter, Erica L. Olguin, and was sentenced to 40 to 60 years in prison.
Two Chesaning Township residents spotted Olguin putting air into his car’s tires at a store in Oakley and called police, remembering the description of the car in an Amber Alert broadcast.

Troopers spotted Olguin’s car on M-52 in Saginaw County and arrested him in Shiawassee County.

Olguin also told police he was taking the three girls to Indiana so his parents could care for them, Pendergraff said. Olguin said he had planned to surrender to authorities, the detective said.

In exchange for Olguin’s plea, prosecutors dropped an open murder charge, which could have led to a conviction of first-degree premeditated murder — a conviction that carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole.

By pleading, Olguin waives his right to appeal.