Estranged Wife's SUV Named As Motive For Murder
BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- Prosecutors say a man accused of killing his young stepson and his estranged wife did it for her SUV. Critical video has emerged showing the weapon used to kill the little boy.
Mike Hellgren has more on the motive and the murder weapon, which police believe was the boy's own baseball bat.
New video of Curtis Lopez shows him minutes after being brought back to Maryland to face charges in one of the state's most disturbing murder cases.
Prosecutors say Lopez killed his 11-year-old stepson William McQuain and his estranged wife Jane McQuain because he wanted to give her new Honda to his new love.
"He had in fact stolen her car and given it to his newest girlfriend in North Carolina," John McCarthy, Montgomery County State's Attorney, said.
Investigators also uncovered new surveillance video from a gas station. They say it shows Lopez with a baseball bat he used to kill the little boy who was playing, never aware of the horror awaiting him.
"The baseball bat that was used to kill him was found a short distance away from the body," McCarthy said.
Little William McQuain's body was found in the woods, and Lopez fled the state. His public defender says prosecutors have no evidence against him-- that their case is nothing but circumstantial.
But investigators say they can prove Lopez killed Jane McQuain in her sleep using a 30-lb. weight and a knife pierced through her blanket. Prosecutors called it "ghastly violence."
"The reality is it's not like TV," McCarthy said. "Evidence like DNA takes a long time to develop."
The case has drawn nationwide attention. Some have taken to the Internet with their outrage.
"It's just crazy what people will do, especially to their own family," one person said on YouTube.
"Just divorce or just walk away. You don't have to kill," said another in a YouTube video.
Despite pleading for release, Lopez remains locked in jail.
The state's attorney has not yet decided whether to ask for the death penalty.
Lopez's violent past includes a conviction for attempted murder in Pennsylvania. Police found William McQuain's body two and a half weeks ago after a nationwide Amber Alert.
