CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) – A simple word was used to describe an unimaginable day.
“Anger. When I first heard the news, I wanted to come down here and find him myself,” Dominic Rivera said.
Rivera and others coming into this Chula Vista court room to see Jose Villanueva have his first day in court on Wednesday.
Villanueva faces charges of attempted murder of Rivera’s mother, Amanda Buchanan.
“There’s just something about, you know, a son and a mother’s love. You know, it’s different. And the fact that he took that away, I don’t even have word for it,”Rivera said.
According to police, at around 8 a.m., Saturday morning Villanueva went into 7- Eleven on Broadway and L street where Buchanan was a manager her friends tell 10News.
“This defendant essentially tracked down his girlfriend at her place of work, ambushed her, doused her in gasoline and ignited her on fire with a lighter,” Jared Coleman of the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, said.
Villanueva was arrested that day in Redlands, CA which about two hours north of Chula Vista.
Villanueva pleaded not guilty in court to charges that also include mayhem and torture and is being held without bail.
“I know at the end of the day that he’s going to get what he deserves; justice will be served,” Rivera said.
But there’s more than enough pain being felt by this family as Rivera tells 10news over 80 percent of his mom’s body is burnt.
“The extent of her injuries are so severe that we got together with the surgeons, and we just talked about her quality of life. It’s not going to be the same. So, we decided it was best o just, you know, go ahead and pull the plug on her. That way she no longer suffering,” Rivera said.
Villanueva’s next court date is set for September 6th.
