Life...And Death

The Zapata murder mystery in Madison is over. The man was facing a second trial since the first was a mistrial and too close for comfort. He decided to confess.

The confession was a hair raiser but at least all the woman's loved ones know what happened. Since he put her remains in 4 different dumpsters - a couple of years ago they haven't been able to find her body. Maybe now that he has confessed they can look harder in those dumping areas but maybe they don't feel the urgency to do so.

He murdered her 30+ years ago but it was only a couple of years ago that he disposed of her body in hopes that she wouldn't be found. The police had reopened the case and were very close - and looking for him - even at the time he had her body in his car.

CBS 48 Hours may have the murder story and final outcome on air in the future.

The news said the man was sentenced to 5 years - the maximum sentence for reckless homicide. He claimed that he just snapped when they were having an argument (he wasn't supposed to be there in the home at the time) and when she turned and went in the kitchen he picked up something heavy like a paper weight and hit her head from behind - more than once. Then he strangled her until his hands hurt to make sure she was dead.
Reckless?
I bet I could think of a more appropriate word.

I realize that there was a plea bargain in play there but I think we have a strange way of dealing with murder.

The lawyer of Jeanette (victim) had called the house and Eugene Zapata answered right after he murdered her - sounding very calm. I'm told he said he managed that because he had to go to the next room to answer the phone and he couldn't see her from there.
He just told the lawyer she wasn't there - but that her purse and keys were. Now there's a shoulder shrugging response.

I'd like to think that he's relieved that it's all out in the open and now his kids know that their mom didn't leave them after all. He did say that she was a good mom and didn't deserve what happened to her. That's something. I hope that he will know his sins need to be confessed to his Maker - who is the ultimate judge.