Lydia Martinez found guilty for killing son-in-law, sentenced to life in prison

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – After 3 1/2 hours of deliberation, a jury finds Lydia Martinez guilty of 1st-degree murder.

She was sentenced to life in prison.

Martinez is guilty of killing her son-in-law Manuel Vasquez at his New Hope home nearly six years ago.

Her daughter Christina plead guilty to second-degree murder last year.

Both women testified Friday, and each said the other fired the deadly shot.

At times, it grew heated with District Attorney Scott Colom strongly objecting to lines of questioning.

The jury was even sent from the courtroom on two occasions.

Christina admitted to struggling with her mother for the gun after she said her mother shot her husband.

She also said the two of them argued about calling the police, and in the end, they agreed to cover up the crime and burn the body.

Christina said her mother was primarily responsible for burning her husband’s body and distributing his ashes.

However, in her testimony, Lydia Martinez said she was forced to cover up the crime.