UKIAH, Calif., July 31 -- An 18-year-old Willits woman has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree murder, admitting to lying in wait for her boyfriend on a darkened road and shooting him in the head. The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat reports that the plea will earn Alissa Marie Moore a state prison term of 15 years to life, but could lead to her parole in less than 13 years.
Moore had been charged with first-degree murder and special circumstances for lying in wait, which could have resulted in a prison term of life without the possibility of parole. Family members of the victim, Paul Steven Rodriguez, were angered by a deal that could allow his killer to go free by the time she turns 31. Prosecutors said they agreed to the deal because of the risk a judge would decide to deal with Moore in Juvenile Court. If so, she would have been released from custody by the age of 25. Moore claimed the April 22 murder was prompted by threats and physical abuse from her boyfriend. Court records say Moore was 17 when she lured Rodriguez to a darkened road, where two male friends and one other suspect had staged a vehicle breakdown. Rodriguez was looking under the hood when Moore took a shotgun provided by another defendant, walked up behind him and shot him once in the head. She and the two male defendants then dumped his body in a wooded area off Highway 128 near Navarro. His remains were found two weeks later. Defendant Carl Dulinsky, 19, has pleaded guilty to accessory to murder and was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison. A third defendant, 17-year-old Troy Driver, remains in custody and is fighting prosecution as an adult. ---
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