By brooke adams
The Salt Lake Tribune
August 10, 2010 06:26AM
It did not take long for the year to record its first domestic-violence-related tragedy: On Jan. 4, Norma Leticia Villalobos-Guzman walked into her kitchen covered in blood and asked a roommate to call police.
As Villalobos-Guzman sat bleeding on the floor, her husband, Roberto Aguirre Ramirez, allegedly entered the kitchen and stabbed himself as he said: “You and I are going to die today.”
Ramirez survived and now faces first-degree murder charges in the 36-year-old woman’s death.
The Orem mother was among eight people who died during the first half of 2010 as a result of domestic violence, according to a midyear report released Monday by the Utah Domestic Violence Council.
The six female victims included girlfriends, a wife, mothers, a daughter-in-law and an aunt. Two of those who died were men: Vernee S. Halliday killed his father and mother before committing suicide. Half of the killings involved use of a firearm.
The council’s data are culled from media reports and public documents and shows the “broad scope and tragic impact of domestic violence in Utah,” the report states.
This is the third time the council has prepared a midyear report, said Judy Kasten Bell, the council’s executive director.
“It’s to inform the public and the community that domestic violence can result in death,” she said. “We want people to get help before things escalate any further.”
That’s a message that resonates with Maralee A. Andreason’s family, which is struggling to understand how the system failed in her case.
Andreason, 55, was allegedly beaten and stabbed to death March 9 by boyfriend Thomas James Valdez, who has a long history of domestic violence. Valdez, who spent time in prison for a previous attack, will be in court Wednesday for a preliminary hearing in the case.
“She could have lived if the parole board had listened to previous victims,” said Lisa Sealey, Andreason’s sister. “She warned them that Maralee would suffer or worse if they let [Valdez] out, but they chose to ignore the victim’s plea.”
Valdez was released after completing his sentence.
In 2009, Utah had recorded 10 domestic-violence related deaths by midyear; another 17 deaths occurred by year’s end. Wendy Isom, victim advocate coordinator for the Salt Lake City Police Department, said a large percentage of homicides across the state in any given year are related to domestic violence.
Last year, just over 4,700 people sought refuge in domestic violence shelters and transitional housing, according to Moises Prospero, council chairman.
Bell said people seeking help are needing services longer because of the poor economy.
With both jobs and affordable housing hard to come by, people end up in shelters longer, she said.
That is squeezing service providers, who are also being hurt by the economy through funding cuts. “That doesn’t mean people shouldn’t seek help,” Bell said. “The help is there.”
Karla Arroyo, director of South Valley Sanctuary, said the average stay last year was 19 days; this year it is 25 days. Daily shelter costs are up from $40 to $47 a day. Meanwhile, its budget was reduced by about $30,000, which has required creative cost cutting, Arroyo said.
“We are trying to be innovative to keep programs running,” she said.
Isom said few of her clients are ready to leave “when the shelters are saying it’s time to move on.”
“The shelters are full more often,” she said. “We are having to look at transporting a victim farther or have them travel farther to find shelter.”
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Mid-year domestic violence death count
Jan. 4 • Norma Leticia Villalobos-Guzman, 36, died of stab wounds allegedly inflicted by her husband, Roberto Aguirre Ramirez, 27.
Jan. 21 • Amy Jo Candland, 41, was allegedly raped, beaten, bound and strangled by her nephew, Damien Allister Candland, 22.
Jan. 29 • Tetyana Nikitina, 34, died after Mary Nance Hanson, 70, her former mother-in-law, allegedly shot her in the head.
March 9 • Maralee A. Andreason, 55, was allegedly beaten and stabbed to death by her boyfriend, Thomas James Valdez, 44.
April 2 • Vernee Stuart Halliday, 35, shot his parents Linda Covey, 69, and Vernee Ronald Halliday, 73, and then committed suicide.
June 14 • Deborah Haudley, 34, died after allegedly being assaulted by her boyfriend, Oscar Eduardo Reyes, 34.
Source • Utah Domestic Violence Council Mid-Year Report 2010
Need help? The Utah Domestic Violence Link-Line offers service provider referrals for people who are experiencing domestic abuse. The confidential hot line number is 1-800-897-5465.
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