Thursday, March 28, 2024
46.0°F

Double murder suspect indicted

by KEITH COUSINS/kcousins@cdapress.com
| August 5, 2014 9:00 PM

COEUR d'ALENE - A 24-year-old man accused of a July 8 double murder in Post Falls was indicted by a Kootenai County grand jury Thursday.

Angel Albertico Morales-Larranaga faces life in prison for two counts of first degree murder in the strangling deaths of his wife, Facunda Valenzuelaleon, 24, and her 6-year-old daughter, Dayanna Valencia.

In a grand jury proceeding, the prosecutor must prove to a jury that there is sufficient evidence to charge an individual with a crime. The decision by the jury does not need to be unanimous in order to indict.

On the morning of July 8, Morales-Larranaga allegedly went to the home of a family friend and told her he had strangled his wife and her daughter. When the friend called 911, according to police reports, Morales-Larranaga became "suspicious" and left the residence.

According to the report, the family friend Morales-Larranaga and Valenzuelaleon had just returned from California 10 days prior to the alleged murder and the two were having marital problems.

"(She) continued by saying they were trying to work through it," the report states. "(She) stated Facunda and Angel were never physical in their arguments but they did have arguments."

The report states that the family friend told officers Morales-Larranaga looked "like a zombie" when he was at their home and had lost a considerable amount of weight due to not eating.

Officers stopped Morales-Larranaga's vehicle near Spokane Street and Poleline Drive and arrested him.

After being booked into the Kootenai County Public Safety Building, an officer went to inform Morales-Larranaga that his two daughters were being sheltered. During the conversation, the report states that Morales-Larranaga began mashing his fists together, gritting his teeth and grunting.

"Me and my wife...were like...," Morales-Larranaga allegedly said to the officer. "This is not me. Something inside of me...it's wrong."

Morales-Larranaga's arraignment and subsequent jury trial have not yet been scheduled. Bail was previously set at $2 million.