MARTINEZ -- Jurors convicted a North Richmond man of second-degree murder on Monday for fatally stabbing his girlfriend during a fight over missing money.
Vance Robert Gattis, 58, is expected to spend the rest of his life in prison for killing 57-year-old Catherine Kelly on Jan. 4, 2010. His exact sentence to be delivered on May 27 hinges on whether the judge will consider Gattis' prior felony domestic violence convictions, deputy District Attorney Jason Peck said."I'm very pleased, I think he got just what he deserved," the victim's 38-year-old daughter, Elisa Kelly, said. "She is very missed and well loved. Even though she was on drugs for half of my life, she was a good mother and friend."
The victim had five children -- one of whom died in 2001 -- and 12 grandchildren. People called her "Cat the Clean-up Lady" because she made her living cleaning houses, her daughter said.
Gattis told police that he killed Kelly during a fight prompted by his suspicion that she stole $400 from him so she could buy drugs.
His attorney argued at the trial that the killing constituted a manslaughter. Gattis was heavily intoxicated and delirious, which put him in an unconscious state during the attack, and he was provoked by the theft, deputy public defender Jennifer Welch told jurors in her closing statement Thursday.
Peck said he didn't believe Gattis' account.
"He could remember his motive, why he killed her, and how he killed her," Peck said.
Gattis fatally stabbed Kelly seven times at his residence, a trailer in a Chesley Avenue trucking yard where he served as a night watchman. Kelly's injuries showed she was also strangled and beaten.
Gattis called 911 to report the death about eight hours later as he was driving around Richmond with Kelly's stiffened body on the passenger-side floorboard of his Jeep.
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