TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — In June of 2019, Marilynn Pacheco was shot to death while in a car on I-19. When her mother heard what happened, she knew who did it.
"They asked me if I knew who would want to do this to her," said Susan Stemper, mother of homicide victim. "I said yes, her ex-boyfriend. And I gave them the name.”
Susan Stemper had to face her daughter’s killer in court for the next three years.
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“The first day, he and I glared at each other," Stemper said. "And then from there on he wouldn’t make eye contact with me.”
She says she was filled with anxiety during every court hearing.
“What’s going to happen? Is he going to take a plea, are we going to court, am I going to have to see these photos of the crime scene, am I going to have to hear the defense attorney turn on her and victim shame?”
But she couldn't share these emotions in court.
“I let my mouth drop open when I heard something that I couldn’t believe came out of the defense attorney’s mouth. And my advocate gave me a dirty look and started mouthing to me, don’t you dare.”
Before the final sentencing in march of this year, Stemper and her granddaughter read their impact statements in front of Pacheco’s killer. Stemper says that was the closest she felt to justice.
"Although you can’t talk to him, he’s hearing everything you're saying and that to me, was the only way we could express how we felt about him.”
The murderer was sentenced to 34 years in prison. Stemper says although the journey was exhausting, it was an important process for her and her family.
“He needed to be put away. There is a difference once that sentence is put in place, and you can put that aside and start focusing on trying to heal yourself and heal your family.”
Susan is now a part of an advocacy group called Parents of Murdered Children. Here's a link to their website, if you'd like to join.
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