Man gets long sentence for killing girlfriend

A five-year ordeal came to an end Wednesday morning when a judge sentenced 33-year-old Luis Flores to 16-years-to-life in prison.

In November 2005, Flores, who also goes by the nickname "Alex," killed his girlfriend, Jacqueline Lua, 20, with a paring knife. He said she'd made fun of his penis while she was drunk.

A Merced County jury convicted Flores of second-degree murder in April.

He first met the victim in 2004, and the two had a rocky relationship, including a number of breakups. During the trial, Flores testified he killed Lua, grabbing a kitchen knife and slashing her throat after she began insulting his virility and his ability to perform sexually.

"I want to thank them for coming to court for so many different times," Deputy District Attorney Rob Carroll said as he turned to Jacqueline's family sitting in the court pews at the Merced County Superior Court. "This has been a long, difficult process for the family, and I've gotten to know them pretty well."

Carroll said anytime someone loses a family member, it's hard.

"It's every person's worst nightmare to die before their child dies, and to lose them in this manner -- nobody should have to go through this," he added.

He went on to say how it was so emotionally draining for the victim's mother to come to court and how Roberto Lua, Sr., the victim's father, doubted whether Flores was a good man for his daughter and had serious concerns for his daughter's safety.

"Last thing Mr. Lua wants me to mention in court is one of the things he thought this trial would accomplish was get some answers, how the defendant could do something so horrible to his daughter," he said.

"His explanation that she made fun of his penis or that she was drunk -- it's not adequate for a reasonable explanation," Carroll told the judge.

Flores' attorney, John Garcia, interjected, saying it was clear the defendant voluntarily acknowledged wrongdoing and admitted he was responsible.

Superior Court Judge Carol Ash said Roberto Lua's sentiments echoed her own.

"I'm still not sure why it happened, really no explanation of why it happened," she said. "I don't really think the truth did come out during trial."

It was a tragic circumstance, she said.

"Perhaps he was so obsessive and controlling he couldn't let her go," she said.

She said Flores is ineligible for probation and sentenced him to 16 years-to-life. He will also have to pay a $10,000 restitution fine and another $10,000. pending successful completion of parole, if he does get out on parole.

Before the sentencing, Lua said the process has lasted months.

He also gave a series of letters from family members addressed to the Parole Board. In his letter, he wrote, "I wanted to know all these years, five long years, what happened that night. The pain built every day that I dwelled on what happened and I have no words to explain the pain that grew for the daughter I lost. Now that I know what happened, your arguments for what you did and why are ridiculous, I find no reason or motive for you taking my daughter's life."

Reporter Ameera Butt can be reached at (209) 385-2477 or abutt@mercedsun-star.com.