Lopez, Maria

Maria Lopez, 18, was a very intelligent young lady, an honor roll student. Mostly she liked to shop even if it was just window shopping. And she loved movies; some of her favorites were Mi Familia, America Me, Selena and Labyrinth. She also took care of her appearance and used whatever time was needed to get ready to go out. But she started hanging out with the wrong crowd at Cole Middle School. She met Miguel Garcia-Melendrez at Elitchs and began a relationship with him. At 15 years, 6 months, Maria gave birth to a daughter, Trinity. That event changed Marias life, according to her mother, Ruby Lopez. Maria made plans for her daughter and herself. She read to Trinity, sang to her and loved teaching her new things. Maria would dress Trinity up, comb her hair and have her looking just like her mother. Maria had bouts with depression and took medication for it. She lived off and on with Garcia- Melendrez, Trinitys father. They had a tempestuous relationship according to Maria’s cousin, Yvette, who lived with them for a while at their apartment at 12977 West Cedar Drive in Lakewood, CO. On Saturday evening, April 26, 2003, West Metro Paramedics and Lakewood police were called to the apartment by Garcia Melendrez who reported Maria had hung herself in the closet of a bedroom. Paramedics reached her first and found a white electrical cord wrapped around her neck several times. Maria was dead. Jefferson County authorities agreed Maria committed suicide. Other experts disagreed with this conclusion and say the evidence indicates a homicide.