VICTORIA SANDOVAL - 11 yo (2005) - Albuquerque NM

The family of 11-year-old Victoria Sandoval, who was raped and
strangled on Halloween six years ago, is still waiting for justice. Israel
Diaz, 23, had been expected to change his plea to guilty in Bernalillo
County Court Tuesday. Instead his defense attorney requested another
mental competency exam.
Diaz has already been found competent
once before. His defense attorney says an additional test is necessary
because his mental condition has deteriorated.
The judge granted the delay but is worried more tests will lead to further delays
in the trial that is set for Nov. 28.
Sandoval's family says that's unthinkable.
"We can't go another year," said Victoria's grandmother. "I'm tired, and I want closure on this."
Police believe the crime was completely random. They linked Diaz to it after
he was arrested in 2008, which led to him submitting a DNA sample.
The sample was entered into the national DNA database and came back as a
hit on the Sandoval case. Police say his DNA was found in multiple
places at the Sandoval crime scene.
The family has also been through another twist in this case. Days after the murder, Robert
Gonzales falsely confessed to the crime.
He spent 2 1/2 years behind bars before the charges were dropped due to a lack of evidence.
http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/crime/child-murder-family-awaiting-justice

Its been more than six years since an 11-year-old girl was raped and murdered in her bedroom. Justice finally caught up with the man police and prosecutors say was responsible.

At a sentencing hearing Tuesday, Bernalillo County District Judge Neil Candelaria listened to Israel Diaz' tearful plea for mercy.

The Albuquerque man pleaded no contest in October to rape, murder, and other charges related to the death of Victoria Sandoval.

Diaz climbed through the 11-year-old girl's bedroom window on Halloween night 2005 and attacked her.

Another man confessed to the crime soon afterwards. However, DNA taken from Diaz after he committed a burglary in 2008 linked him to Sandoval's murder.

He was charged with the crime and the original suspect was freed from jail where he was awaiting trial for Sandoval's murder.

In court Diaz took full responsibility for Sandoval's rape but claims someone else killed her.

"God knows I didn't kill her," he told the court. "I know that I didn't kill her and that I have forgiveness for the bad things I have done."

Candelaria sentenced Diaz to 29 years in prison for the murder. The other charges related to the attack on Sandoval, plus charges related to the burglary in 2008, added another 30 years to the sentence.

The defense attorney and a psychoanalyst argued that Diaz didn't know right from wrong in an attempt to reduce the sentence.

The judge didn't buy it. He said he wanted to make sure the community is safe from Diaz.

Because Diaz was born in Mexico, the judge recommended Diaz complete his sentence in the state before any consideration of deportation. By then he'll be in his early 80s.

http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/crime/childs-rapist-killer-headed-to-prison