Man convicted of killing his ex-girlfriend, who was a CSUF student

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Case # 07NF2414

Date: March 3, 2015

MAN CONVICTED OF 1994 STABBING MURDER OF EX-GIRLFRIEND AND LOCKING HER BODY IN TRUNK OF HER CAR

SANTA ANA – A man was convicted today of stabbing and murdering his ex-girlfriend and locking her body in the trunk of her car in 1994. Samuel Agustin Lopez, 43, Placentia, was convicted by a jury of one felony count of murder and a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a deadly weapon. He faces a maximum sentence of 26 years to life in state prison at his sentencing on May 1, 2015, at 9:00a.m., inDepartment C-34, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.

Samuel Lopez’s cousin, Xavier Francisco Lopez, 43, Anaheim, is charged with one felony count of special circumstances murder involving the infliction of torture. He faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole and is scheduled for jury trial on March 20, 2015, in Department C-34, Central Justice Center.

Samuel Lopez’s older brother, Armando Antonio Lopez, 46, Placentia, is charged with one felony count each of accessory after the fact and dissuading a witness from reporting a crime. He faces a maximum sentence of 36 months in state prison and is scheduled for jury trial on May 15, 2015, in Department C-34, Central Justice Center.

Circumstances of the Case

Samuel Lopez, then 23 years old, had a previous on and off romantic relationship with Cathy Torrez, a 20-year-old California State University, Fullerton honors student. A week before the crime Samuel Lopez, had asked the victim to marry him, which she declined.

On the evening of Feb. 12, 1994, Torrez had finished working her shift at a Sav-On drugstore in Placentia and told her co-workers that she would be meeting up with Samuel Lopez that night. At approximately 8:00 p.m., Torrez was seen driving toward a Baskin Robbins ice cream shop by one of her co-workers.

At approximately 8:15 p.m., the victim had parked her car in the Baskin Robbins parking lot and was writing a letter to her friend before she met up with Samuel Lopez. Xavier Lopez is accused of being in the car with Samuel Lopez when he went to meet the victim.

After departing from the Baskin Robbins parking lot and arriving in another parking lot with the victim, Samuel Lopez and Torrez argued in her car. Samuel Lopez attacked Cathy Torrez with a knife, and after she attempted to flee from the vehicle, Samuel Lopez chased after her and stabbed Torrez repeatedly in the face, head and torso. After moving to an unknown location Samuel Lopez got out of the car and opened Torrez’s trunk. Samuel Lopez used a newspaper and plastic bag to lift the victim’s arms and cut Torrez’s wrists and her throat. Xavier Lopez is accused of participating in the murder. Xavier Lopez is also accused of closing the trunk where Cathy was stored after Samuel Lopez murdered her.

On Feb. 19, 1994, Torrez’s Toyota Corolla was found by a Placentia Police Department (PPD) officer in the parking lot of Placentia-Linda Hospital. The victim’s body was locked in the trunk and had several dozen stab wounds across the neck and chest.

Armando Lopez is accused of being an accessory after the fact after the murder.

In 2007, the Orange County District Attorney’s Task Force review aimed at catching Killers, Rapists, and Sexual offenders (TracKRS) and PPD began investigating this case when new DNA evidence technology linked Samuel Lopez and Xavier Lopez to the crime.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.

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TONY RACKAUCKAS, District Attorney

Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718