California Man Charged With Murder After Finding Wife With Lover

Anaheim Father Charged With Murder After Discovering Wife’s Lover in Bed With Children Present

Violence is never the answer, and it is truly heartbreaking that these young children had to witness their father commit such a horrific act of brutality in their own home,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer remarked after a Southern California husband allegedly killed his wife’s lover in a fit of rage.

The tragedy unfolded on October 24 when 34-year-old Ismael Pinedalopez returned home early from work to discover 28-year-old Nicholas Garcia in his underwear in bed with his wife, according to the New York Post. Prosecutors and court filings indicate that a 4-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter—the couple’s two young children—were present in the bed during the assault.

The Arrest and Charges

Authorities stated that Pinedalopez used a pocketknife to stab Garcia multiple times in the bedroom of his Anaheim home. Garcia was pronounced dead at the scene from his wounds. Pinedalopez’s wife and the two children were not physically harmed during the incident.

Police arrested Pinedalopez at the scene. The Orange County District Attorney’s Office formally charged him with one felony count of murder, along with a felony enhancement for the personal use of a weapon. Pinedalopez was arraigned on Tuesday, October 27, and now faces up to 26 years to life in state prison if convicted on all counts.

A Disturbing Statewide Trend

In January, former Glendale firefighter Andrew Jimenez allegedly killed his wife, Mayra Lopez Jimenez, with an ax at their North Hollywood home after suspecting she was unfaithful.

California Man Charged With Murder After Finding Wife With Lover — Photo: lawenforcementtoday.com

In the North Hollywood case, defense attorneys told the New York Post that investigators recovered a diary belonging to the victim that allegedly verified her infidelity moments before the homicide. Jimenez was subsequently charged with one count of murder with a deadly weapon allegation, and he likewise faces up to 26 years to life in state prison if convicted.