Whittier, CA: Woman denies killing boyfriend during heated dispute in '09

Ruby Gonzales, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/08/2011 02:05:51 PM PST

WHITTIER - A 27-year-old woman pleaded not guilty Tuesday to fatally stabbing her boyfriend during an argument in their South Whittier apartment in 2009.
Wearing a blue county jail jumpsuit, 27-year-old Michelle Pacheco entered the plea during her arraignment at Whittier Superior Court in the death of 29-year-old Sean Casillas.

Commissioner Loren Di Frank kept Pacheco's bail at $1 million and ordered her to return to court April 6 to set a date for her preliminary hearing. She remains in custody at Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood.

Last year, the District Attorney's Office declined to file charges against Pacheco, citing insufficient evidence.

But the case was reviewed again at the request of

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Melinda Casillas, Sean's mother, who attended Tuesday's arraignment.
"I'm just glad this day is here," she said afterward. "It took a year, and I'm going to get justice for my son."

No new evidence led to the recent decision to charge Pacheco. Authorities said the decision came after a long and careful review of the facts.

"(The case) was looked at with a more critical eye. There was physical evidence that needed to be processed still," Sheriff's Lt. Dave Dolson said.

The review also included re-examining statements from people detectives interviewed.

The stabbing happened at about 3:50 a.m. Nov. 27, 2009, in the couple's apartment in the 14300 block of Mulberry Drive in unincorporated South

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Whittier.
Dolson recounted the events as Pacheco described them to investigators.

"She made an allegation he was drunk and verbally aggressive toward her. Her account was there was a physical altercation back and forth between them," Dolson said.

Only Pacheco, Casillas and Pacheco's then-5-year-old daughter were present at the time of the stabbing. The only information about the argument came from defendant's version of events, he added.

He said Pacheco's explanation seemed to be vague in spots and that information appeared to be missing from her account.

"I don't know if she was being forthright. Bottom line is, there was an altercation between them and he ends up getting stabbed in the chest," Dolson said.

Casillas was taken to UC Irvine Medical Center, where he died.

Detectives arrested Pacheco on Feb. 17 in Fontana, where she now lives.

The next day, prosecutors filed one count of murder against her, along with the allegation that Pacheco personally used a deadly and dangerous weapon - a knife - to commit the crime.

ruby.gonzales@sgvn.com
562-698-0955, ext. 3026