Teen enters plea in father's murder case

CREATED Nov. 7, 2011

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  • Teen charged with murdering her father in Oct. 2010. Image by TPD

Web Producer: Marissa Pasquet

 

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - Teenager Clarissa Andrea Sanchez entered a plea of 2nd degree murder in court Monday. Sanchez is the daughter of a man whose body was discovered in a desert area on Tucson's west side in October 2010. She had been arrested in connection with his death, according to Tucson police.

Clarissa Andrea Sanchez, 16, and Larry Raymond Coronado, 19, were arrested in 2010 on suspicion of first-degree murder in the death of Andres Sanchez, 38, according to authorities.

Clarissa Sanchez is Andres Sanchez's daughter. Police did not say what the relationship is between the girl and Coronado is.

When officers went to a residence in the 2700 block of South Castle Drive to investigate reports of a missing person, authorities learned that Andres Sanchez had been missing since Oct. 20, but his disappearance had not been reported because family members believed Sanchez had left on his own and no foul play was suspected, according to authorities in 2010.

Officers returned to the residence after a second call about the disappearance and determined that Clarissa Sanchez and Larry Raymond Coronado were responsible for the man's disappearance. Authorities brought the two into police headquarters for further questioning, state authorities.

Officers searching a desert area near South La Cholla Boulevard and West 36th Street found the body of a man.

Detectives determined that Andres Sanchez had been killed at the South Castle Drive address and his body dumped in the desert, according to police reports. Clarissa Andrea Sanchez and Coronado were booked into the Pima County jail.

Sentencing is set for Clarissa Andrea Sanchez on Monday Jan. 9, 2012, at 10:00 AM. She is facing a possibility of 20-22 years in prison.

(Story courtesy: Tucson Police Department )