Woman's Decapitated Body Was Found by Friend Who Screamed Out 'No Head.' Her Grandson Just Admitted to Crime
Elvia Lopez-Arroyo was killed by her grandson Luis Gustavo Aroyo-Lopez on Nov. 2, 2023
A California man has pleaded guilty to killing his grandmother, whose decapitated body was discovered in her home by a friend in November 2023.
Elvia Lopez-Arroyo, 64, was killed by her grandson, Luis Gustavo Aroyo-Lopez, on Nov. 2 in her Santa Rosa, Calif., home days after he was released from state prison, where he'd been serving time for assault and weapons possession, The Press Democrat reported.
Luis, now 24, was a suspect from the very beginning and Santa Rosa police alleged after the murder that he killed Elvia "in a targeted attack before leaving the scene with the female victim’s head."
On Tuesday, Luis entered a guilty plea in the murder of his grandmother, The Press Democrat reported.
Santa Rosa police responded to Elvia’s home on Nov. 2 following a report of a homicide when they found her decapitated body, the department said in a statement at the time.
On Nov. 4, San Francisco police arrested Luis, the statement said, adding that he was charged with murder and violating his post-release community supervision.
Elvia’s body was discovered by her friend, according to her neighbor, identified only as Jessica, CBS News reported after the murder.
In an interview with the channel, Jessica said she saw Luis on the day of the murder walking to the victim's home “at a normal pace.”
Elvia sounded “surprised and happy” upon seeing Luis, the neighbor said.
A few hours later, Jessica saw a friend of Elvia's panicking and running in and out of the house.
"She kept yelling: 'No head!'" Jessica recalled of the friend's reaction, CBS News reported.
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Following her murder, another one of the victim's grandchildren started a GoFundMe for funeral costs. On the fundraising page, she was remembered as a doting grandmother.
"She was a loving person and she adored so dearly all her grandchildren. She didn’t deserve what was done to her," the fundraiser said.
Luis did not disclose a motive behind his killing, per The Press Democrat. He is expected back in court on June 27 for his sentencing, the outlet reported.
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