Post by sclcookie on Jun 3, 2006 2:36:49 GMT -5
Prosecutors: Father to face death penalty----Miranda accused of shooting
his 2 children, setting home on fire
Mecklenburg prosecutors announced Thursday that they will seek the death
penalty against Gilberto Miranda Cuellar, who is charged with murder in
the March deaths of his 2 young children.
"We do intend to seek the death penalty," Mecklenburg Assistant District
Attorney Glenn Cole said in court.
Miranda, 36, was indicted on 2 counts of 1st-degree murder. He's accused
of shooting his 2 children while they were tucked in bed, then lighting
their northeast Charlotte home on fire.
John Miranda, 5, and Sara Miranda, 8, were shot in the head, according to
court documents. The bodies of the 2 Highland Renaissance Academy students
were found in pajamas amid the burned remains of their Frew Road home. A
lighter was found next to them, according to the documents.
The house smelled of gasoline, and a 9 mm Baretta handgun was found in the
kitchen and shell casings on the kitchen floor, records show.
About 10 minutes before police arrived at the house, Miranda called his
wife and told her to tell her children goodbye, and said he hoped she had
good friends to console her, the documents said.
Police said Miranda had been watching the children at his former home as
his estranged wife worked at a cleaning service. Miranda was found hours
later, lying on a nearby road with what police said appeared to be
self-inflicted injuries.
A judge ordered Gilberto Miranda moved to the Central Prison hospital in
Raleigh after Mecklenburg jail officials said the murder suspect was
suicidal and psychotic.
Miranda will likely face more charges.
"There will be additional charges presented to the grand jury in this
case," Cole told the judge Thursday. "There will be additional charges."
Defense attorney Joe VonKallist, one of Miranda's lawyers, declined
comment. "I don't have anything to say," he said.
(source: The Charlotte Observer)
his 2 children, setting home on fire
Mecklenburg prosecutors announced Thursday that they will seek the death
penalty against Gilberto Miranda Cuellar, who is charged with murder in
the March deaths of his 2 young children.
"We do intend to seek the death penalty," Mecklenburg Assistant District
Attorney Glenn Cole said in court.
Miranda, 36, was indicted on 2 counts of 1st-degree murder. He's accused
of shooting his 2 children while they were tucked in bed, then lighting
their northeast Charlotte home on fire.
John Miranda, 5, and Sara Miranda, 8, were shot in the head, according to
court documents. The bodies of the 2 Highland Renaissance Academy students
were found in pajamas amid the burned remains of their Frew Road home. A
lighter was found next to them, according to the documents.
The house smelled of gasoline, and a 9 mm Baretta handgun was found in the
kitchen and shell casings on the kitchen floor, records show.
About 10 minutes before police arrived at the house, Miranda called his
wife and told her to tell her children goodbye, and said he hoped she had
good friends to console her, the documents said.
Police said Miranda had been watching the children at his former home as
his estranged wife worked at a cleaning service. Miranda was found hours
later, lying on a nearby road with what police said appeared to be
self-inflicted injuries.
A judge ordered Gilberto Miranda moved to the Central Prison hospital in
Raleigh after Mecklenburg jail officials said the murder suspect was
suicidal and psychotic.
Miranda will likely face more charges.
"There will be additional charges presented to the grand jury in this
case," Cole told the judge Thursday. "There will be additional charges."
Defense attorney Joe VonKallist, one of Miranda's lawyers, declined
comment. "I don't have anything to say," he said.
(source: The Charlotte Observer)