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Man Accused of Killing Girlfriend and Their 2 Sons Could Face Death Penalty
The man accused of fatally stabbing his girlfriend and taking the lives of their two young sons has been charged with three counts of murder. Shazer Fernando Limas, 31, could face the death penalty for the crimes.
Limas, who was taken into custody following a high-speed chase Thursday night on the freeways of Orange and San Diego counties, is suspected of killing his estranged girlfriend, 31-year-old Arlet Hernandez Contreras, and their sons. The couple have a two-year-old and a four-month-old. It was not until Friday morning that authorities in Orange County arrested Limas for the killings.
Friday evening, a body found by workers in La Puente was identified as being that of Hernandez Contreras. The woman had been stabbed to death, and a trail of blood in the couple's apartment complex led to a trash chute, according to reports, prompting a search of the landfill in Brea which receives the building's refuse.
However, no bodies were found during the initial search, and today's search had to be called off because authorities said they did not have access to the necessary cadaver dogs.
The murder charges filed against Limas include a special-circumstance allegation of multiple murders, making him potentially eligible for the death penalty, explains City News Service. The charges also include a sentencing enhancement allegation of using a deadly weapon, according to Deputy District Attorney Scott Simmons.
Limas is expected to be arraigned this afternoon.
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