Crime & Safety

Walnut Woman Found Guilty of Murdering Husband, Killing Family Dog

Socorro Mora was convicted of second-degree murder, cruelty to an animal and corporal injury to a spouse in the 2011 killing of her 47-year-old husband, George Mora.

Jurors today found a 46-year-old Walnut woman guilty of fatally stabbing her estranged husband 33 times and killing the family dog, but deadlocked on a charge that she tortured him.

Socorro Mora was convicted of second-degree murder, cruelty to an animal and corporal injury to a spouse in the 2011 killing of her 47-year-old husband, George Mora. Sentencing was set for June 24.

On Oct. 24, 2011, Socorro Mora called police to report domestic disturbance. Officers found her in the front yard with 22 stab wounds, which she claimed were defensive injuries. Two were life-threatening and she was taken to a hospital.

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George Mora was dead inside the house. Investigators found three knives that had been used in the attack.

Mora was arrested five days later. She has been jailed since then in lieu of $5 million bail.

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The couple, who had four children, had been married for 18 years before separating in the summer of 2011.

Witnesses testified that Socorro sent threatening text messages to George. Then, about a month before the murder, she attacked George and scratched herself, claiming he did it. Prosecutors said George Mora obtained a restraining order and was granted custody of the children shortly after that.

Socorro was ordered to move out of the family home and, in apparent retaliation, she stabbed to death the family dog, Snowflake, and ransacked the house in September.

Forensic evidence showed that the cuts Socorro suffered on the day of the murder were self-inflicted.

She faces up to 20 years to life in prison when she is sentenced.

—City News Service


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