On Wednesday, a Santa Barbara man was convicted of first-degree murder and assault of a child following the death of a 3-year-old girl in February of 2023.
According to Santa Barbara County District Attorney John T. Savrnoch, 27-year-old Santa Barbara resident Elvis Alberto Lopez was convicted by a jury of first-degree murder with the special circumstance that the murder was committed during the commission of mayhem.
The jury also reportedly found Lopez guilty of assault causing death on a child under eight years old and four counts of corporal injury to a child.
Officials say that in the final months of Mila’s life, Lopez, who was her mother’s boyfriend, repeatedly abused her.
On Feb. 4, 2023, the abuse reportedly culminated in a violent assault that severed Mila’s spine and ruptured her aorta, causing her rapid death.
"This was a horrific case involving the senseless death of a young child who deserved love and protection,” Savrnoch wrote in a statement on Wednesday.
“We are profoundly grateful to the jury for their careful attention and service throughout this emotionally difficult case," Chief Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Karapetian, who led the prosecution, added in a press release. "Mila was a beautiful, loving child, and while nothing can bring her back, this verdict ensures that the defendant is held accountable for his violent actions.”
Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 4 in Department 2 of the Santa Barbara Superior Court, in front of Judge Pauline Maxwell.
Lopez faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to officials.
