Monique Maestas pled guilty this afternoon to charges of Murder with Use of a Deadly Weapon and Attempt Murder with Use of a Deadly Weapon in connection to a 2003 Mesquite trailer park attack that left one child dead and another paralyzed. Maestas accepted the deal this afternoon prior to jury selection for her trial, which had been scheduled to begin today. Maestas will be sentenced by Judge Donald Mosley at 9 a.m. on September 22, 2006 in the courtroom of District Court Department 14.
The state retains the right to argue at sentencing, however, has agreed that Maestas will be sentenced to a term of life with the possibility of parole, plus an equal and consecutive term of life with the possibility of parole as to the Murder charge. This means the state has agreed that Maestas will be sentenced to a term of 40 years to life for the Murder of Kristyanna Cowan.
In addition, Maestas will be sentenced for the Attempt Murder charge to a minimum term of two (2) to 20 years, plus an equal and consecutive minimum term of two (2) to 20 years for the deadly weapon enhancement. However, the minimum sentence cannot exceed 40 percent of the maximum term of imprisonment. Judge Mosley must determine if this sentence will run concurrent or consecutive to the sentencing imposed for the Murder charge.
