St. Paul woman sentenced to 20 years for killing her 17-year-old boyfriend in Chanhassen
CARVER COUNTY, Minn. — A 19-year-old St. Paul woman will spend up to 20 years in prison for the deadly shooting of her boyfriend.
The shooting happened on Conestoga Trail in Chanhassen in February of last year. Vanessa Lopez pleaded guilty to shooting 17-year-old Manuel Bernal Jurado of South St. Paul.
People who were there say the two had been arguing about their relationship. Lopez claims she did not know the gun was loaded when she fired.
Lopez appeared very remorseful in court on Friday.
"I hate myself so much for what happened and for the pain that I caused you guys," she said. "When I first came in, I was a lost, hurt, and intoxicated girl. Someone who let alcohol control her life. And because of those decisions, I unintentionally took the life of someone, someone I loved: My best friend. And it's something I can't take back. Something that kills me and eats me up every day of my life. A pain I've never felt before, but that was not my intention. And it hurts me to have you guys think that this was a violent act. Because it was not."
The judge said that her apology may mean something to the victim's family someday.
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"Miss Lopez did make an attempt today with literally nothing to gain. She wanted to apologize. She didn't have to. She didn't have to say anything to anybody. Her sentence was predetermined. So she was really not benefitting from what she said here today," said Judge Eric J. Braaten.
