Life In Prison For Man Who Disemboweled Girlfriend After Sex
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
SUNRISE (CBSMiami) – A Florida man who pleaded guilty to brutally murdering his girlfriend after she yelled another man's name during sex is getting life behind bars.
On Thursday, a judge sentenced Fidel Lopez, 26, to life in prison without a chance of parole.
Investigators said Lopez admitted to becoming a "monster" when his girlfriend, 31-year-old Maria Nemeth, called him by her ex-husband's name during sex back in September 2015 in a Sunrise apartment.
Before his sentencing, Lopez apologized through a translator to the victim's family.
"Today, I'm happy to fulfill this conviction... I know that what I did has to be paid and I agree... I will pay with my life for the life I took," said Lopez. "To Maria s family, I ask forgiveness."
Lopez's mother who described him as a loving son also apologized to Nemeth's family.
"We'd like to apologize and say we are devastated too," said his mother.
During the investigation, Lopez talked to police about what happened the night of the murder in a series of police interrogation videos.
"She changed my name," he said. "She called me the name of the other (expletive) guy. And she said it twice and she was wrong and she was confusing me with him. At that point, I get mad. I get really, really mad."
Police said he went on to admit he disemboweled her.
Last month Lopez plead guilty as part of a deal so he would not get the death penalty.
Nemeth's family told the judge they remain devastated and have only Maria's memory to cling to.
"If I had to summarize the life of Maria, it would be very difficult to express it in a few lines. I just want to tell you all that she was and will continue to be a model of affection, effort, perseverance and love of humanity," said a translator for Maria's father.