If she had been acquitted, 20 year old Yanira Escobar would have been on her way back home to Guatemala. But she’s not going home because this afternoon Escobar was convicted – not of murder but of manslaughter and so tonight she is back at the Hattieville Prison.
Yanira, who also goes by the name Dominga Carmela Rox Hernandez, was charged for killing 22 year old Yesenia Salguero- also known as Jessica, at a bar in San Ignacio on July 4th 2005. Salguero was stabbed to death. Yanira maintains it was an accident. The women, who were friends, were on a night out which began at Cozy Corner and ended at King’s Lounge where around midnight Jessica was stabbed in her abdomen.
That’s about all we know for sure because evidence presented in court indicated that there was an argument between Yanira and another person identified only as Norma. Words were thrown and then broken bottles. Jessica was pushing Yanira into a taxi and that’s when Yanira pulled out a knife. No one saw her stab Jessica and Yanira maintained it was in self defense and then later said it was accidental.
The jury voted unanimously to acquit her of murder but was split 11 to 1 in favor of manslaughter. She faces life in prison and will be sentenced on August 18th.
