Fresno police attribute the September murders of an 18-year-old mother and her 3-week-old daughter to sibling rivalry and jealousy. Investigators arrested the victim’s older sister and her boyfriend almost seven weeks later.
Yanelly Solorio-Rivera was killed while sleeping in her bed with her 3-week-old daughter, Celine. Celine was also killed by the shooter.
When police released surveillance video of a potential suspect more than five weeks later, no arrests had been made. When he was identified, investigators realized they had spoken with one of the alleged murderers at the southwest Fresno home where a mother and child were murdered.
“And that is when the lies, the deception and the evil intentions surrounding this case began to unravel,” Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama said.
According to police, the man in the surveillance video is Martin Arroyo-Morales. Yarelly Solorio-Rivera, Yanelly’s 22-year-old sister, is his girlfriend.
According to Chief Balderrama, the couple broke down while being questioned by detectives.
“They confessed to the crime and led detectives to the whereabouts of the murder weapon,” said Balderrama.
According to the chief, Solorio-Rivera was envious of her younger sister. He claims Arroyo-Morales is a confirmed gang member. He claims that they planned the murders and how to get away with them together.
“This was their plan all along and they thought it worked until it started unraveling on them,” Balderrama explained.
Even after confessing, the couple showed no remorse, according to police.
Prosecutors say they’ll file a double murder case against both suspects, with the special circumstance that they committed multiple murders included in the charges.
“The special circumstances murder brings about the penalty of life without the possibility of parole and the potential of the death penalty,” said Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp.
Both suspects are being held in jail on $2 million bail.
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