Murder conviction upheld for man who killed his estranged wife, her sister

A state appeals court this week upheld the first-degree murder convictions of a man who killed his estranged wife and her sister in Escondido.

Juan Carlos Ortega was convicted by a Vista jury in the August 2018 deaths of 30-year-old Veronica Soto Ortega and 26-year-old Ana Soto. He was sentenced last year to two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole and 26 years to life in prison.

Prosecutors said Ortega killed the women in his wife's apartment. Both women were stabbed, and Soto was also shot.

At trial, Ortega's defense attorney did not dispute that his client killed the women, but claimed he did so in self-defense after Soto put a knife to his throat, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

Firefighters initially found Soto's body in a burning SUV near the Country Club and Kauana Loa driveways. Prosecutors said the SUV was registered to her sister.

His wife was found dead in their apartment on West 11th Avenue, a few miles from the site of the burning vehicle. Two children, aged 4 and 5 at the time, were found unharmed in the apartment.

He was arrested at his workplace in Carlsbad later that day.

–City Intelligence Service