Seattle, WA
2 sentenced for tampering with corpse of Seattle woman killed in Dallas in 2020
The two accused accomplices to the 2020 murder of a young Seattle woman pleaded guilty to tampering with a corpse and were sentenced this week for their roles in her disappearance.
A judge handed down a six-year sentence against Charles Beltran, 35, on Friday for failing to call police after witnessing the fatal stabbing of Marisela Botello-Valadez on Oct. 5, 2020. Nina Marano, 52, struck a deal with prosecutors earlier this week and will serve eight years for helping dump Botello’s body. Her fragmented skeleton was found 170 days later off a country road in southern Dallas County.
Beltran and Marano appeared in court Friday morning to face Botello’s family, who gave victim impact statements. Absent from the Dallas County courtroom was Lisa Dykes, who was convicted of Botello’s murder in December and sentenced to life in prison. Dykes is also serving a concurrent 20-year sentence for tampering.
“Hearing the name of my daughter being said, you don’t know the harm that it’s done to me and my family,” Marisela’s mother, Ernestina Valadez, said in Spanish. “I hope that when you leave here, you don’t go through this — what I’m going through — because it’s horrible, and I don’t wish that on anyone. I’m physically and mentally sick.”
She added: “I hope that you will repent for what you did, and the day you get out, you have that peace with what you did and what you didn’t do to help my daughter.”
Beltran’s attorneys advocated for the minimum sentence, two years. Tampering with a corpse, a second-degree felony, carries up to 20 years in prison.
“We do think this was fair given his unfortunate role of not contacting the police after the fact and 170 days lingering,” defense attorney Myra McIntosh told The Dallas Morning News. “He’s at peace with it.”
When asked about Beltran’s reaction to his sentence, McIntosh said he felt “relief that it’s over, relief that the family has justice, relief that he has some sense of where his life is headed and how much time he actually has to do for this offense.”
Marano’s attorney, Valerie Baston,said she was happy to strike a deal with prosecutors. Baston, who also represented Dykes at trial, said Dykes continues to maintain she’s innocent of Botello’s murder.
A spokeswoman for the Dallas County district attorney’s office declined to comment.
Botello was described as a trusting, vibrant young woman who loved to travel. She’d booked cheap, spontaneous plane tickets to visit an old friend in Dallas over a long weekend in October 2020.
Testimony at Dykes’ weeklong trial provided the most thorough account of what allegedly happened Oct. 5. The trial relied heavily on circumstantial evidence and testimony from Beltran.
Beltran, Dykes and Marano were in a physical and romantic relationship, prosecutors said. Dykes supported Beltran financially and invested in his budding rap career, while Beltran gave Dykes companionship, according to prosecutors. Dykes married Marano, a lawyer, and the trio moved into a Mesquite home.
How did this happen?
Botello was bar-hopping alone in Deep Ellum, and Beltran told jurors he wooed her; Beltran said they went back to the Mesquite home, had sex and fell asleep.
In the early hours, Beltran testified he awoke to screams of “help me, help me,” and saw Dykes straddling Botello, grasping a knife and making a stabbing motion. He said he pushed Dykes and Botello tumbled off the bed.
In shock, Beltran said he went into the bathroom and splashed water on his face. When he went back into his bedroom, he said Dykes was standing over Botello’s lifeless body in a red-stained nightgown. He said blood oozed from Botello’s naked chest, seeping into the carpet.
“What did I do? What did I do?” Beltran recalled Dykes muttering.
He recalled telling Dykes, “You need to figure this s— out, you told me to leave.” Beltran put on clothes and left. He got an oil change and visited a friend.
Discarded like trash
Prosecutors said Marano and Dykes left Botello’s body in Wilmer, two miles from where Dykes once lived. Prosecutors said Botello was discarded like trash. Her skull and a few bones were found March 2021 in a muddy farmed and wooded field by someone laying traps for feral cats.
Botello’s family grew worried when she missed her return flight. They traced her rideshare receipts and bank activity to pinpoint her last known locations, and there was no activity on her cellphone, bank account or social media accounts, and police honed in on Beltran as a person of interest early in the investigation.
After the killing, Dykes, Marano and Beltran traveled between Texas, Pennsylvania, Florida and Mexico. Marano and Dykes were arrested separately in Florida, while Beltran was taken into custody in Utah.
Escape to Cambodia
Dykes and Marano were released from jail on bail, removed their court-issued ankle monitors and went on the lam to a coastal town in Cambodia. Dykes said they fled to seek asylum. When confronted by Cambodian and U.S. authorities, Dykes brazenly asked, “What jurisdiction do you have here,” prosecutors said.
The trio faced murder charges, but prosecutors asked a judge to dismiss the charges against Marano and Beltran “in the interest of justice” amid Dykes’ trial.
On Friday, prosecutor Robin Pittman said Beltran acted callous, selfish and self-centered immediately after Botello’s murder. Pittman said he “lacked any empathy or sympathy” for Botello’s family.
Defense attorneys argued that, while in Dallas County jail, Beltran was a “model inmate” and eventually accepted responsibility for his role in tampering with Botello’s body. McIntosh, his attorney, said he’s shown the “greatest form of remorse and regret under these circumstances.”
He cooperated with prosecutors and was an integral witness in their cases against Dykes and Marano; prosecutors said Friday that they believe Beltran has integrity “in his heart.”
Beltran took the stand in his own defense, saying he wants to reform himself and is considering rehab and therapy after prison. He also aspires to become a trucker and be a better dad for his two daughters. Beltran struggled at times during his testimony while addressing Botello’s family, but he apologized for his actions and asked them for mercy.
Judge Nancy Mulder admonished Marano, who was a licensed attorney, for her role in dumping Botello’s body: “With all of her education and background in the legal field, I can not imagine and in anyway understand the choices that she made that day to participate in this cover-up and disposal of a beloved daughter and sister.”
“You must know that every day that you’re in prison serving your sentence, whatever discomfort that you feel will never equate the agony that this poor woman’s mother, father and brother suffered not knowing where she was, not knowing what happened to her,” Mulder told Beltran and Marano.
“I can only hope that your sentences will somehow bring comfort to them and their bereavement.”
Seattle, WA
MLB Mock Trade: Seattle Mariners Deal Luis Castillo to Atlanta Braves
The Seattle Mariners have had a busy offseason as they try to improve their roster and break through to the World Series for the first time in franchise history. Seattle has been active in free agency and on the trade market. One of their final roster questions is who will serve as the backup catcher behind Cal Raleigh. The Mariners could make one more move before the start of the season to address this need, potentially through a trade with the Atlanta Braves.
The Atlanta Braves are dealing with some serious injuries to their starting rotation this offseason. After an impressive 2025 campaign, Spencer Schwellenbach has been shut down because of bone spurs. Breakout candidate Hurston Waldrep was also shut down during Spring Training with elbow inflammation. Both pitchers underwent surgery in February, leaving two open spots in Atlanta’s rotation. Let’s break down a mock trade centered on Luis Castillo that could help fill those holes for the Braves.
Atlanta Braves – Seattle Mariners Mock Trade
Atlanta Braves receive SP Luis Castillo
Seattle Mariners receive C Sean Murphy, SP Owen Murphy
In this mock trade, the Braves acquire All-Star starter Luis Castillo. In exchange, the Mariners receive former All-Star catcher Sean Murphy and a young pitching prospect in Owen Murphy.
Fantasy Baseball Outlook
Luis Castillo would slot into the Atlanta Braves’ starting rotation behind Chris Sale and Spencer Strider. He has been very effective for the Mariners since they acquired him from the Reds at the trade deadline four seasons ago. In 2025, Castillo went 11–8 in 32 games with a 3.54 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 162 strikeouts. His fantasy value would likely dip if he left Seattle’s pitcher-friendly ballpark. Still, he has proven himself as a reliable, effective starter through consistent performance, and he would play a key role for Atlanta.
With the Mariners, Sean Murphy would serve as the backup catcher behind Cal Raleigh. He would likely see a drop in playing time in Seattle, but this move could also give the Mariners more opportunities to use Raleigh at DH. With the fifth spot open in the Seattle rotation, Emerson Hancock and Cooper Criswell would be viable, experienced options. Alternatively, Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan are elite prospects who have had strong Spring Trainings and could break camp on Opening Day. The young pitching prospect Owen Murphy would also join a talented farm system and provide a future option for the rotation.
Read More Fantasy News
Seattle, WA
VIDEO: Scream Club Seattle keeps growing, midway through first year
(Story originally posted 8:22 pm, updated 12:32 am)
By Torin Record-Sand
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
From a distance, they looked like a regular crowd of people enjoying a nice evening walk on the shores of Lincoln Park. But they were gathered here for a singular purpose: to scream. Since September 2025, the Scream Club Seattle has met at Lincoln Park on every third Sunday to scream, led by head organizer Amber Walcker. No explanation, justification, or invitation to scream is needed – come as you are. “There are some harder emotions people come here to deal with, sure, but some people also just come to scream.” head organizer Amber explained.
Tonight’s crowd showed the club is rapidly growing. From around a dozen or so participants in the first gathering in September, tonight seemed to attract around 40 people gathering to let it all out.
As the sun started to set, and everyone was finally gathered together, the Scream Club was ready to begin.
There are only three screams, organizer Amber explained. The first, she said, is a scream to get used to doing it in public. The second scream is there to ground you. And the final – and longest scream – is there to let you have an emotional catharsis.
She also wanted to make sure people were taking care of their vocal health beforehand. As she told everyone to walk a little bit from the meeting place and start to gather near the shore, she instructed the crowd to hum for a few minutes on the way, to warm up the vocal cords.
With that, the crowd walked towards the shore.
“On the count of one – two – three – scream!” said organizer Amber.
You can see our video of the proceedings here. After the screaming, we talked to a few participants about why they came out.
“There’s not one thing that’s really making me want to scream. There’s a lot of stuff going on for me, a lot of emotional ups and downs. Screaming into the ocean together gives you a sense of community.” said Jessie.
“This is my third or fourth time coming to scream. With the political climate, with everything that’s happening, getting together with local community to scream feels more productive than screaming into the internet on social media.” said Ursula.
“This is my first time coming out.” said Liz. “I screamed after the Seahawks won the Super Bowl, and I really felt something. I realized I’ve been feeling a lot of frustration recently, and it felt like coming here was a healthy way to get it out rather than screaming at your neighbors.”
Organizer Amber recognizes much of what they were saying. “Meeting like this can be an important element to have in your mental health toolbox. It’s rare to have scream therapy.” She shared an anecdote about the therapeutic origins of the group, which originally started with a chapter in Chicago. “The founder was a life coach. Their girlfriend was having a bad day, and they encouraged them to go to the Chicago Pier and just let it out. He walked her through the process, and that was that. Eventually they invited more people to come do it.” She hopes to bring that same therapeutic energy to the practice here. “It’s a moment of emotional release more than anything else. Depending on what’s going on in people’s minds, everyone will come here with a different mindset and purpose. We’re providing a safe space to do that.”
Scream Club Seattle meets at Lincoln Park on the first Sunday of every month, and they are also starting to meet on the third Sunday of every month at Golden Gardens in Ballard. Tentatively, the next events will be in Lincoln Park on April 5th around 6 PM, and Golden Gardens on March 15th around 5 PM. If you’d like to know more, you can find them on Instagram here or look at their future events on their Eventbrite page here.
Seattle, WA
Detectives Investigating Robbery, Shooting Over $20 Necklace – SPD Blotter
Seattle police detectives are investigating a robbery and shooting of a 23-year-old man over a $20 necklace in Pioneer Square this morning.
At about 12:40 a.m., patrol officers responded to a shooting in the 500 block of 2nd Avenue. There, they found a victim, bleeding, with a gunshot wound to his right thigh. Police and the Seattle Fire Department treated his injury. Medics took him to Harborview Medical Center (HMC) in stable condition.
Police determined that the victim just left a bar, getting into the passenger seat of his friend’s car, when the suspect, wearing a ski mask and armed with a firearm, approached him and demanded his necklace. They struggled over the item, and the suspect shot the victim in the leg. The shooter fled in a vehicle with the necklace before police arrived. The value of the “chain” is about $20.
Detectives in the Robbery Unit responded to the scene and HMC. Anyone with information is asked to call the SPD Violent Crimes Tip line at 206-233-5000. Anonymous tips are accepted.
Incident Number: 2026-57536
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