Our latest episode of Crime Beat, Season 2: Mom vs. Murderer is available today. NBC's 'Dateline' has been a staple of the true-crime genre ever since its premiere in 1992. Dateline: Contact Information, Journalists, and Overview - Muck Rack Cathy was known for being a marvelous person with a bright future ahead of her. In this Dateline classic, Cathy Torrez was a beautiful, smart and responsible 20-year-old student. When Sam stood trial for the same, the prosecutors alleged that he stabbed Cathy 74 times before he and his cousin combined forces to dispose of her body. This was a horrible act that never should have happened, Lopez, 43, added. Police determined that Cathy was allegedly still alive when she was pushed into the trunk, according to a visible handprint found inside. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dateline: Secrets Uncovered What happened to Cathy Torrez? When everything was over, Xavier said he helped Sam dispose of Cathys body. It takes years to get to the truth. After the hearing, Mora told City News Service that she wished her ex- husband had received a tougher punishment. . He is the brother of Sam Lopez, who was sentenced in 2015 to the killing of his ex-girlfriend Cathy Torrez in 1994. Your email address will not be published. Cathy was found slain in her bed with an ax lodged in her head in Brighton in upstate New York on Feb. 19, 1982. . Cathy Torrez grew up in Placentia, California. According to her autopsy report, she was stabbed dozens of times, with puncture wounds all over her head, face, and upper body. Until Sam admitted that he committed the crime at sentencing, (the defendant and his family) all still believed that he was innocent because he had told them he didnt do it and, as family members do, they believed him, Swanson told City News Service. She and James share one daughter together, Sara, who is now in her mid-40s. The upcoming episode of Dateline: Secrets revealed will chronicle the haunting disappearance and murder of Cathy Torrez, who was stabbed at least 74 times. The cars front seat was reportedly covered in blood along with the bumper, and her body was found in the trunk with at least 74 stab wounds. Xavier reportedly testified that he was in his truck when the couple got into an argument which saw Sam attack Cathy. Prior to Sam Lopezs confession, as they presented their victim impact statements at Fridays sentencing, Torrezs family members struggled through tears while urging him to admit to killing Torrez. New York State Police announced on Thursday, April 20, that a 42-year-old man named Edward Holley has been arrested for second-degree murder in . SANTA ANA, Calif. (KABC) -- The brother of a man convicted in the 1994 stabbing death of a Cal State Fullerton student pleaded guilty to helping cover up the crime and was sentenced, as the victim's sisters delivered emotional statements in court. She had a beautiful, promising future, full of life, and I took everything away from her. Xavier Lopez pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and received a four-year, eight-month prison sentence. The family says they hope their legal fight encourages others like them to never give up seeking justice. Authorities believed Cathy was still alive when she was put in the trunk, based on the visible handprint discovered within. Reproductive rights groups sound the alarm after a south Texas woman The brother of a man who killed his ex-girlfriend by stabbing her dozens of times admitted Friday he helped his sibling cover up the crime 23 years ago in Placentia and was immediately sentenced to a year of informal probation. In This Dateline Classic, Cathy Torrez Was A Beautiful, Smart And Responsible 20-Year-Old Student. Cathy is related to Karen Faye Thompson and Gary Dewayne Vickers as well as 3 additional people. Trigger Warning: This article contains descriptions of a violent crime, which may be disturbing to some readers. On Tuesday, Phoenix police said the two women were found dead in their home Monday night in an apparent murder-suicide, and Augustine, 32, daughter of murdered Nevada politician Kathy Augustine . Dateline: Secrets Uncovered - What happened to Cathy Torrez? DATELINE SATURDAY SNEAK PEEK: The Promise - NBC News Xavier Lopez was also charged with murder as he helped put Cathys body into the car while she was still alive. At his sentencing, Samuel Lopez took the unusual step of admitting his guilt and apologizing to the Torrez family. Josh Mankiewicz Reports. The episode, titled The Promise, re-airs on Oxygen this Tuesday, January 3, 2023, at 7 pm ET. Instead, all he did was injure his hand in the process. Prosecutors allege Lopez stabbed Torrez more than 70 times, and he and his cousin stuffed her in the trunk of her car while she was still alive. Torrez was killed Feb. 12, 1994 after leaving her job at a local Sav-On store. In 1997, authorities were eventually able to charge Sam's cousin, Xavier Lopez, with murder. A . He remains under investigation, however. . The prosecution and defense moved into the sentencing phase following the jury's verdict. There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. A CLOSER LOOK: Torres home life with a blended family Wyatt, who has spent 17 years as the lead investigator on the case, said he hoped Sam Lopezs courtroom confession wasnt just a ploy to eventually position himself for parole.