MIDVALE — A man accused of strangling his common-law wife to death has been changed with murder.
Carlos August Soto-Lopez, 29, was charged with murder, a first-degree felony, with a domestic violence enhancement and two counts of committing domestic violence in the presence of a child, both third-degree felonies.
Prosecutors say that on May 6, Lopez struck Sarah Hernandez on the head "with a glass blender pitcher, which caused the pitcher to break," according to court records, and strangled her with a cell phone cord.
"A cell phone charging cord was found wrapped very tightly around Ms. Hernandez's neck," court documents state.
When police arrived at the apartment building, 7940 S. Main, Soto-Lopez "approached officers with blood on both of his hands and stated that he had killed his wife and then lifted up his hands motioning to be handcuffed," the charges state.
The couple's two children, ages 5 and 8, were in another room in the apartment at the time of the slaying, according to prosecutors.
—Pat Reavy