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A California woman and her three-week-old daughter were murdered by her older sister and gangster boyfriend out of sheer “jealousy” and “sibling rivalry.”
Yarelly Solorio-Rivera, 22, has been arrested over the cold-blooded deaths of her 18-year-old sister, Yanelly Solorio-Rivera, and her baby Celine, who was only 21 days old at the time of her death.
Yarelly’s friend, Martin Arroyo-Morales, 26, a known gang member, has also been arrested for the September 24 murders.
Fresno police have charged both of them with two counts of first degree murder.
Yanelly Soloria-Rivera, 18, was reportedly shot and killed by her older sister on Sept. 24
Yanelly Soloria-Rivera’s three-week-old daughter, Celine, was also shot dead at the time
The girl was found dead in bed with her mother
“We have the murder weapon, a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, and we have a motive: jealousy and sibling rivalry,” Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama said at a news conference.
“We saw no remorse, no guilt.”
Officers were called to a home around 7:20 a.m. on the day of the murders after neighbors heard several gunshots from a bedroom in the house.
“The crime scene was traumatic for all the officers, detectives, EMS and crime scene technicians who arrived at the scene,” Chief Balderrama said.
Yarelly Solorio-Rivera, 22, has been arrested for the cold-blooded shooting
Yarelly’s friend, Martin Arroyo-Morales, 26, a known gang member, was also arrested for the September 24 murders
When the police arrived, Yanelly Solorio-Rivera and her child were already dead. The couple was found in bed with her baby still in her arms.
Solorio-Rivera was shot several times.
Chief Balderrama said the new mother slept while holding her daughter and that they had been shot in a “premeditated and intricately planned” murder.
“The crime left us all feeling perplexed and very angry and wondering, who would do such a thing – who would kill an 18-year-old mother and her three-week-old daughter while they were asleep?”
In the month after the shooting, officials said they could find no solid evidence to identify suspects, but suspected Yarelly and Morales may have been involved.
It took investigators nearly seven weeks before they were arrested on Thursday, despite suspecting who had committed the heinous acts early on.
The murder weapon, a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol, was found by police
The chief explained that officers had to gather enough evidence before they could make an arrest.
A major breakthrough in the case came last week after investigators positively identified Arroyo-Morales on surveillance footage in the area around the house where Yanelly and Celine were murdered.
“That’s when the lies, deception and evil intentions surrounding this case started to unravel,” Balderrama explained.
After further investigation, investigators turned to Yarelly Solorio-Rivera and her boyfriend Martin Arroyo-Morales, who confessed to the murders after questioning.
“They have been detained for the past few days. They were interviewed by homicide detectives, at which point they confessed to the crime and led detectives to the whereabouts of the murder weapon.
“The crime left us all feeling perplexed and very angry and wondering, who would do such a thing – who would kill an 18-year-old mother and her three-week-old daughter while they were asleep?” asked Fresno Police Chief Balderrama
“This was a complicated and well-planned murder,” Balderrama said. “We can now say with complete certainty that we have those responsible for this murder in custody.”
Both suspects were arrested and incarcerated in the Fresno County Jail, where they are being held on a $2 million bond.
If convicted, the couple could face the death penalty or life without parole.
“There is nothing like the hearts and souls of people who wear badges than the death of young people. But when babies are involved, it hits the nerves and those of us involved in this case. We don’t sleep. We’re not resting,” said Fresno County District Attorney Lisa A. Smittcamp.
“With special circumstances, murder brings the possibility of very substantial sentences with the possibility of parole or the possibility of the death penalty,” she explained.
“Those decisions will be made as the case progresses through the legal system.”
A GoFundMe page was set up by the family.