5 chilling details about Jose Luis Menchaca's murder

The murder of Jose Luis Menchaca is one of the most notable cases in recent history, characterized by extreme violence and shocking details. His death on September 30, 2014, was the culmination of a series of really horrific events that led to him being dismembered and burnt into ashes.

This is one of the most talked-about cases on the Netflix documentary series I Am a Killer. The documentary takes the audience through the lives of convicted murderers and the circumstances under which they committed their crimes.

The official synopsis for the episode featuring Candie Dominguez in the sixth season of I Am a Killer is as follows:

"This Texan woman went on trial back in 2018 for the murder of her cousin in 2014, which she committed with her boyfriend. She lured her cousin to her home, serving as revenge after a drug deal gone bad. Reports detail how she “cut up the body of her cousin after her boyfriend allegedly killed him," Dominguez said.

The show uncovers the motivations and backgrounds of these convicts to give a viewer a scary outlook on the reasons behind their crimes. Dominguez's episode forms part of season six, which airs on January 8, 2025.

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Five shocking details about the murder of Jose Luis Menchaca

1) The nature of the attack

Jose Luis Menchaca was brutally beaten to death with baseball bats. The attack was carried out by Daniel Moreno Lopez, his girlfriend Candie Dominguez, and another accomplice.

According to prosecutors, Jose Luis Menchaca was mercilessly assaulted. The brutality was described as personal, stemming from a prior drug deal gone wrong. Prosecutor Matthew Ludowig stated that Lopez wanted to hear Menchaca scream during the attack, indicating a premeditated intent to inflict pain and suffering.

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2) The victim's girlfriend was tied up

In the attack on Jose Luis Menchaca, his girlfriend was tied up in another room. This aspect of the crime adds a degree of horror because it shows the total disregard for human life demonstrated by Lopez and his cohorts.

The girlfriend testified that she could hear the brutal beating going on while she was restrained, which magnified the terror of the situation.

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3) Dismemberment and disposal of the body

Lopez and Dominguez subsequently dismembered Jose Luis Menchaca's body and attempted to get rid of him. Dominguez testified that she cut up the body of Menchaca in pieces. The remains were further burnt on a barbecue grill in the backyard.

The act was merely an attempt at destroying evidence while also showing some extreme level of violence and depravity.

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4) A history of violence

Before this crime, Daniel Moreno Lopez had a background history of violent episodes. He had been making threats and had earlier involved himself in another violent case where he was alleged to have murdered his girlfriend by burning some body parts.

The background leads to the question of whether he had some mental illness or a similar history of violent acts in similar situations.

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5) Legal Outcome

The legal proceedings following Jose Luis Menchaca’s murder were intense, with Lopez being convicted and sentenced to life in prison for his role in the crime. Candie Dominguez accepted a plea deal in which she pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for her cooperation with law enforcement. She received a 30-year sentence instead of facing life imprisonment.

The case has drawn significant media attention due to its shocking nature and the details surrounding it.

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For more details about the case, watch I Am a Killer on Netflix.