Texas man sentenced to life for killing pregnant girlfriend

A Texas man who killed his pregnant girlfriend and her preborn child has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

John Paul Ortega killed Iliana Michelle Garza on November 29, 2022, in a parking lot along I-40 in Amarillo. Garza was five months pregnant with her fourth child at the time. According to News 4 San Antonio, Ortega was initially charged with murder, but those charges were upgraded after investigators learned that Garza was pregnant.

“Iliana was a beautiful person, she was very humble and kind to everyone,” said her obituary. “She enjoyed spending time with her family and dedicated her career as a correctional officer. She also served as a paraprofessional for the Juvenile Charter School.”

According to the 47th District Attorney’s Office, Ortega and Garza were in a relationship at the time of her death, and he was the father of her preborn child. Homicide is one of the leading causes of death of pregnant women, exceeding all of the leading health-related causes of maternal mortality. According to The BMJ, women in the U.S. are more likely to be murdered during pregnancy or soon after childbirth than to die from the three leading obstetric causes of maternal death.

At the time of the crime, Ortega had been out of prison for just five months, after serving a 15-year sentence for sexual assault of a child, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault against a public servant, possession of a controlled substance, and cruelty to animals.

“It is especially heinous to take the life of an unborn child and his mother,” District Attorney Jason Herring said. “No verdict can heal the loss this family feels, but we hope this sentence brings them closure. We are proud to have sought justice for this horrific crime.”

Editor’s Note: If you are a victim of domestic violence, please visit thehotline.org or call 1-800-799-SAFE.