Morales to receive life in prison

COEUR d'ALENE — Angel A. Morales-Larranaga, accused of killing his wife and stepdaughter in Post Falls in 2014, pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of first-degree murder.

Morales-Larranaga, 26, accepted a pretrial settlement offer that calls for him to serve two fixed consecutive life sentences.

"I'm saddened at the complete loss of life in this case," said Chief Public Defender John Adams. "Angel's wife, Facunda, and his daughter, Dayana, are dead and now he will spend the rest of his young life in prison. Angel is as remorseful as a man could be and will forever regret his unplanned and uncontrolled actions."

Morales-Larranaga, who is from Mexico, is scheduled to be sentenced by 1st District Court Judge Fred Gibler on Jan. 26.

"After consulting with the Post Falls Police Department, we agreed that two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole would be appropriate," Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh said. "The defendant's waiver of his right to appeal the conviction and sentence provides finality to the family."

People from his office spoke with the family of the victims throughout the case.

"Over time, their position on an appropriate sentence changed," McHugh said. "While the input of victims' family members is important because of the impact on them from ongoing litigation and appeals in a death-penalty case, it's not determinative."

The two consecutive fixed life terms eliminate the possibility of a death penalty sentence, which prosecutors earlier said they planned to seek if he was convicted.

Through the plea deal, Morales-Larranaga admits to murdering his wife, 24-year-old Facunda Valenzuelaleon, and 6-year-old Dayana M. Valencia. Both were strangled.

He was arrested on July 8, 2014, for the killings in a Post Falls apartment.

A jury trial was scheduled for June.