Killer of Girl’s Dog Gets 3 Years in Prison
One month after her dog Muneca was shot to death, 13-year-old Margarita Gonzalez cuddled a new puppy Wednesday, given to her by the deputy district attorney who prosecuted the gunman.
The presentation in a Van Nuys Superior Court was made after Juan Vasquez Delacruz, 21, who shot the dog, was sentenced to three years in prison for violating his probation by possessing a weapon.
Her eyes brimming with tears, Margarita wrapped her arms around the 4-month-old white Lhasa Apso puppy that she named Snow White. “It’s OK, it’s OK” she crooned to the quivering dog. “She’s so cute,” she said of the puppy.
It was a new role for prosecutor Lea Purwin D’Agostino, who prides herself on her nickname of “the Dragon Lady,” given to her for tenacious prosecution in such cases as the “Twilight Zone” trial.
Margarita’s previous pet was shot in front of her house on July 23, the day Vasquez was released from jail after serving 90 days for battery. Vasquez, of Van Nuys, said that he fired the gun to see if it worked, not to hit the dog.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
