Photo: St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office
A married Florida father is accused of killing his mistress who was eight months pregnant with a child authorities say he fathered, PEOPLE confirms.
Jose Soto-Escalera, 41, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the death of Tania Wise, 23, whose body was found in a ditch in a rural area on Aug. 24, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Bryan Beaty confirms to PEOPLE.
According to Beaty, Wise suffered blunt force trauma to the back of her head as well as trauma to her throat, though authorities have not yet released her cause of death.
According to the affidavit, Soto-Escalera denied to police he was in a sexual relationship with Wise and said he was at another person’s home fixing a car battery on the night she was killed.
Soto-Escalera was arrested on Sept. 21. A statement from the sheriff’s office states thatdigital forensic evidence connected the suspectto the crime and that an eyewitness confirmed seeing his truck near the crime scene.
St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office
Mascara told the paper that Wise was scheduled to have a cesarean section the week after her body was found. He said Soto-Escalera did not seem remorseful to police when he was arrested.
“You have the mother of his child, and the child himself that he is responsible for and showed no remorse,” Mascara said.
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Wise was pregnant with what would have been her second child, her mother toldTreasure Coast Newspapers, describing her as a “loving, caring mom.”
Wise’s friend, Cassie Adams, described her to the outlet as a loyal friend who was “always happy and positive.”
“She was always there for me when I needed her,” said Adams. “Without a doubt, I could call her and she’d come.”
Soto-Escalera is being held without bail in St. Lucie County Jail, jail records show. He has not yet entered a plea, Beaty says.
PEOPLE’s call to his attorney, Leonard Villafranco, was not immediately returned.
source: people.com
