Za’Zell Preston.Photo: facebook
A California manwho killed his wife and propped her upon Christmas morning so that her children would open gifts in front of her body has been sentenced to prison.
On Friday, William Wallace was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison afterbeing convicted of second-degree murderin the 2011 death of 26-year-old Za’Zell Preston, theOrange County Register,theAssociated Pressand theSouthern California News Groupreport. He was given credit for the nine years he has already spent behind bars.
According to authorities, at some time between Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, 2011, Wallace attacked Preston while her three children — who were then 3, 8 and a newborn — were in the apartment.
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During Wallace’s trial, prosecutors said he placed Preston on the couch with sunglasses on and had her kids open presents in front of her body on Christmas Day, according to theRegister.
William Wallace.Orange County Jail
Preston’s then 8-year-old daughter, now 18, testified that she remembered her mother’s body being cold.
Prosecutors also said Wallace told their children, “Mommy … got drunk and ruined Christmas,” theNewsreported.
According to prosecutors, Wallace had spent time in jail for attacking Preston in the past. Before her death, the mother-of-three was studying to be a domestic abuse counselor.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
source: people.com
