What did Yarelly Solorio-Rivera do? California woman and boyfriend charged over sister and niece’s murder

On Monday, November 14, Yarelly Solorio-Rivera and her boyfriend were charged with the murder of her 18-year-old sister and 3-week-old niece. According to authorities, Solorio-Rivera killed her sister out of jealousy and sibling rivalry in in their home in Fresno, California, in September.

Yarelly Solorio-Rivera, 22, and Martin Arroyo-Morales, 26, were charged with two counts of murder and a special circumstance of multiple murders. In a statement, the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office said that Solorio-Rivera was also charged with two enhancements of "personal and intentional discharge of a firearm causing death."

According to prosecutors, Yarelly Solorio-Rivera fired a 9 mm handgun multiple times at her sleeping sister and niece after an agreement with her partner. Both Yanelly Solorio-Rivera and her baby, Celine, succumbed to gunshot injuries and were pronounced dead at the scene.

Solorio-Rivera and her boyfriend were arrested last week and are being held at the Fresno County Jail on a $2 million bond. They were scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday. If they are found guilty of all charges and allegations, they will face life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. In a statement, the Fresno County District Attorney's Office said:

"The District Attorney’s Office is currently conducting the necessary analysis on whether to seek the death penalty and will make an announcement on that decision at a later date."

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Yarelly Solorio-Rivera arrested for the "premeditated and intricately planned” murder of her own sister

On September 24, Southwest Policing District officers responded to an emergency report of a shooting inside a residence located in the 2500 block of South Fruit Avenue at around 7:20 am. Upon arrival, officers found the unresponsive bodies of Yanelly Solorio-Rivera and her baby, Celine.

Yarelly and her boyfriend were arrested after a surveillance video added to the suspicion. The suspect, who was seen walking in the area around their house, was later identified as Yarelly Solorio-Rivera's boyfriend, Arroyo-Morales, who was described by authorities as a "validated gang member." After the identification, the Fresno Police Chief said,

"That is when the lies, the deception and the evil intentions surrounding this case began to unravel."

At a press conference held after the arrests, Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama said that Yanelly Solorio-Rivera was asleep while holding her infant daughter and that they had been shot in a "premeditated and intricately planned" killing. He further added that the crime scene was "traumatic" for the responders.

"The murder scene was traumatic for all officers, detectives, EMS personnel, and crime scene technicians who responded to the scene."

Police Chief Balderrama further stated that both suspects confessed to the cold-blooded murders but showed no remorse for their actions. Yarelly Solorio-Rivera said that the motive behind the murder of her younger sister was jealousy and sibling rivalry, but refused to elaborate further.