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A female cop has been jailed for 45 years for shooting her police lover dead after he threatened her with his gun.
The court in Tijuana, Baja California State, north-western Mexico ruled that Alina Mariel Narciso Tehuaxtle must also pay a fine of more than MXN 420,000 (GBP 18,500).
The court issued the sentence on 5th October after finding her guilty of the murder of her partner, Luis Rodrigo Juarez Arellano, on 12th December, 2019.
According to reports at the time, Alina shot Juarez Arellano four times after he had strangled her and threatened to kill her.
She allegedly shot him with one of their service guns after grabbing it from his hand when used it to hit her, the court heard.
When she was arrested, Alina had bruises on her arms, neck, and chest, and traces of blood on her lips.
Alina – from Cordoba, Veracruz State, Mexico – had moved to Tijuana years earlier in search of a better life.
In 2018, she had joined the Tijuana Public Safety Department as a policewoman, where she had met fellow cop Juarez Arellano.
The two had embarked on a relationship, but Juarez Arellano had been violent towards Alina from day one, according to her mother, Socorro Tehuaxtle.
The couple had been living together for four months when the incident occurred.
Following Juarez Arellano’s death, he reportedly tested positive for cocaine and alcohol.
But despite his apparent drug use and alleged violent behaviour, a plaque was unveiled in his honour.
Socorro is accusing both the judiciary and the police corporation of misogyny, given the harsh sentence she believes her daughter was given.
She told local media: “My daughter had the courage to defend herself.
“The same corporation gave her that weapon, the same corporation trained her to defend herself, and now they turn their backs on her. I don’t understand it.”
She added: “Of course we are going to appeal because we are not happy with this sentence because the truth is it seems excessive to me because she was defending herself.
“The judge does not look at this and I do not know why he does not look at this, given that we presented all the evidence we have and that the evidence we have is real.
“So we are going to take it to the next instance. We have faith that we will achieve something.”
Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar has confirmed that the State Government will provide Socorro with legal support so she can lodge her appeal.
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