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Michel Escoto's ex-girlfriend Yolanda Cerrillo acted as an accomplice in the 2002 plot orchestrated to kill his wife of four days, Wendy Trapaga, for her insurance.
Cerrilo came clean during the 2014 murder trial and testified against Escoto in exchange for immunity. However, she was shamed by the victim's family to a great extent. According to reports, Trapaga's sister Rita Stephen commented on Cerrillo's actions, saying:
"I don't care at all how desperate, how insecure, how lacking in self respect you have, you're a mother and you went ahead and planned out the death of another mother's daughter."
Wendy was bludgeoned to death by her newlywed husband just days after their marriage. The reason behind the murder was that the latter wanted to claim her one-million dollar life insurance policy.
In 2014, Escoto was ultimately sentenced to life in prison nearly 12 years after he killed his wife in 2002. His sentencing was partly due to his failed attempts to claim the insurance money and partly because of Yolanda Cerrillo's testimonies.
NBC Dateline and Dennis Murphy will revisit the gruesome and heart-wrenching murder of Wendy Trapaga that took place in Miami's (South Beach). The Dateline episode will air on Friday, July 15, 2022, at 10 pm ET.
What was Yolanda Cerrillo's role in Wendy Trapaga's 2002 murder?
Per Yolanda Cerrillo's testimony in court during the murder trial, Michel Escoto left her to marry Wendy Trapaga. However, he kept his ex-girlfriend on the sidelines and the two later plotted the 21-year-old's murder to claim her insurance money.
Cerrillo said:
"He left me for somebody else."
The 48-year-old reportedly stated that the initial plan was to spike Trapaga's drink to drug her before drowning her in the hotel jacuzi. According to the testimony, Escoto failed in his attempt to drown his wife and instead arrived at his ex-girlfriend's house with his barely conscious wife.
Yolanda said that the accused then had her accompany him to the North Miami-Dade warehouse area, where police later discovered Wendy's bludgeoned dead body.
When they arrived at the destination Escoto had in mind, he allegedly took his wife and later returned to his ex-girlfriend's car which was parked near-by. According to Yolanda's testimony, he returned to the car with a tire iron wrapped in a blood-soaked cloth and was covered in blood.
The two then drove to the Biscayne Bay shoreline near Port Miami, where he dumped the murder weapon at sea. It was, however, found by authorities at the said location.
Escoto and Cerrillo had initially decided to follow the cover story of Wendy being attacked by robbers. The latter, however, went to authorities to tell them the truth of what had transpired in exchange for immunity. She claimed that although she asked for immunity, she came clean out of shame for being responsible for the killing of someone's daughter.
Yolanda said,
"A mother lost her daughter and I had something to do with it."
More about Michel Escoto's trial and Yolanda Cerrillo's testimony
Michel Escoto, who allegedly represented himself in court, tried to pin the murder on Yolanda Cerrillo. He brought up the fact that she had sent him letters while he was incarcerated, claiming that she vouched for his innocence and that everything "would work out."
In her defense, Yolanda said that she was aware that the letters would be read by the officials and that it was her attempt to confuse them at the time. Escoto cross examined her, suggesting that she acted out of jealousy as the "ex-girlfriend" and killed Wendy in rage.
According to reports, Escoto asked Cerrillo:
"Do you believe that you were traded in for a younger model? Did you ever think you wanted Wendy dead?"
In response, the latter replied:
"I believe you left me for somebody else. All this never would have happened if you hadn't left me."
Yolanda Cerrillo stood firm on the testimonies she made in court. She accepted that Wendy's death was the result of a joint murder plot and that the latter would be alive if Michel hadn't tricked the 21-year-old into marrying her.
As previously mentioned, the upcoming episode of NBC Dateline will air this Friday, July 15, at 10 pm ET.
