THE MURDER OF DANIELLE ACOSTA-GUERRERO: FAMILY VIOLENCE HOMICIDE

Transcription

1 THE MURDER OF DANIELLE ACOSTA-GUERRERO: FAMILY VIOLENCE HOMICIDE DETECTIVE F. R. HARRIS KILLEEN POLICE DEPARTMENT HOMICIDE UNIT Review Forensics Nursing Multidisciplinary Team Approach Lessons learned WHAT IS FORENSICS? Health Care Providers Forensic suggest that a patient has medico-legal implications that requires documentation with possible collection of evidence from an alleged act of violence. 1

2 What is a forensic nurse? Forensic Nursing Domestic violence Child physical abuse/neglect Emergency trauma Strangulation Sexual assault GSW Stabbings A Crime Scene: The Patient Clothing Oral Vaginal/cervical Anus Skin/nails Secretions/stains Hair 2

3 Exams 2 per. Mov. Avg. (Exams) CPS Temple PD Belton PD Harker Heights PD Killeen PD Ft. Hood CID CCPD Harker CCPD Ft. Hood CID Killeen PD Belton PD Temple PD CPS Heights PD Exams SANE provides a one on one comprehensive medical forensic exam Medical Assessment and Evaluation, treatment for STI s and Pregnancy, coordination of follow up care and counseling. Forensic History, collection of evidence, pictures, swabs, blood, trace evidence and testimony in court. Acute & Non-acute Exam 8/17/ hours Responding uniformed Officers arrived on scene approximately 5-7 minutes after 911 call. 3

4 Danielle Acosta-Guerrero suffered more than 25 stab wounds and 30 blunt force injuries to various parts of her body. None of these injuries were life-threatening. Only one stab wound, to Danielle s neck, resulted in her death. That stab wound terminated Danielle s life within minutes. Aidan Acosta Guerrero arrives at McLane s Children s Hospital on Friday August 17, 2012 at 10:34 a.m. Head Toe Assessment History Swabs Photos Documentation 4

5 Aidan tells the Forensic Nurses: My neck, my mouth, my back, my stomach. I bit my tongue and it feels squishy. Someone killed my mom. Who did that? This guy named David. How do you know David? He s my mom s ex- boyfriend, but my mom doesn t want us to talk about him. He tried to choke me, like my mom wanted me to open the window. After I got the window open I screamed for help. My mom told me to go in the bathroom and lock the door. 5

6 I knew he (David) was going to kill her. He told my mom to shut up. She kept saying ow, ow and it scared me. I haven t heard my mom ever say ow, ow like that before. After he killed my mom he started choking me. When my mom was done being killed by him he grabbed my neck and started choking me. He grabbed my neck like this (demonstrates by placing his right hand and fingers on his neck). I almost died. I bit my tongue. He threw me against the brown thing on the bed. He told me to be quiet. Then he started choking me. I couldn t get him off of me, he s big. These police officers with flashlights, they kept saying open the door. 6

7 My mom was covered in blood. I love my mom. She makes the best food. I was hugging her leg. I hug her when we sleep together. There was blood all over. When the police found me I saw some cuts on my mom. Aidan admitted to the hospital for continued assessment strangulation precautions Aidan was interviewed by the Children s Advocacy Center staff while he was receiving treatment at the hospital. Described mother being killed by David. Described seeing mother choked Described seeing his mother s guts Described opening the window and yelling for help Described being choked 7

8 Alissa was interviewed by the Children s Advocacy Center staff on 8/17/2012 during the time that she knew her mother was deceased. She reported that David Vega was an ex-boyfriend that stalked her mother. A warrant was subsequently issued for David Michael Vega s arrest. He was located and arrested in Turlock California by the Turlock Police Department on 10/11/

9 David Vega is caged at TDCJ s Telford Unit. Telford Unit is a maximum security unit located in New Boston, Texas. 9

10 Detective Frederick Harris Forensic nurse sheilah priori 10