By Terri Vermeulen Keith
City News Service
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A Glendale firefighter who allegedly bludgeoned his wife to death inside their North Hollywood home pleaded not guilty Wednesday, April 15, to a murder charge.
Andrew Jimenez, 45, who remains jailed without bail, was scheduled to return to court in downtown Los Angeles May 12, when a date will be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence for him to stand trial.
The murder charge stems from the Jan. 23 killing of Mayra Jimenez, 55, a third-grade teacher at Wilshire Park Elementary School in Koreatown. Her body was found inside the couple’s home in the 5600 block of Satsuma Avenue.
The murder charge includes a sentence-enhancing allegation of the use of a deadly weapon – an axe.
Andrew Jimenez appeared in court in January and was ordered to remain jailed without bail.
According to police, Andrew Jimenez went to the LAPD’s Northeast Community Police Station at 3353 N. San Fernando Road in Glassell Park, about 10 miles from his home, around 4 a.m. on Jan. 21 to request a welfare check on his wife, saying he had been unable to reach her.
The victim was later located at the residence, where detectives discovered she had suffered blunt force trauma. She was pronounced dead at the scene, prompting police to establish a homicide crime scene, with Robbery-Homicide Division Valley Bureau detectives taking over the investigation.
“Homicide investigators conducted interviews, reviewed videos and processed the crime scene. Their investigation revealed that the victim and suspect were in a marital relationship and that this was an incident of domestic violence,” police said in a statement at the time.
The suspect had apparently found out his wife was cheating on him “moments” before the killing, according to attorney Jose Romero, who was representing Andrew Jimenez at the time of his arrest but is no longer on the case.
“Our office is currently in contact with law enforcement regarding a diary of the decedent, apparently read moments before the homicide, that verified infidelity by the decedent,” Romero told various media outlets in a statement in January. He said Jimenez was a “veteran of the Pacific Palisades fire.”
District Attorney Nathan Hochman said in a statement that the case is a “devastating reminder of the persistent scourge of intimate partner violence in our communities.”
“No one, including those sworn to protect others, is above the law, and we will hold the defendant accountable for this horrific crime and bring justice to Ms. Jimenez and her loved ones,” Hochman said in January.
The couple had been married since November 2014, The New York Post reported, citing pictures on social media.
Andrew Jimenez, who has served as a firefighter/paramedic with the Glendale Fire Department (GFD) since April 28, 2008, was placed on administrative leave effective immediately, according to the city of Glendale.
“Our condolences are with the victim’s family and loved ones,” GFD Chief Jeff Brooks said in a statement in January. “We are prepared to support those impacted by this tragedy, and we are also ensuring our firefighters and staff have access to support resources as they process this loss.”
Crisis counseling was offered to students and staff at Wilshire Park Elementary following her death.
“Mrs. Jimenez was a beloved teacher, colleague and friend, and she made a lasting impact on our school community and the students she served,” an LA Unified School District representative said in a message sent to the school community.
This is a pretty shocking story. I wonder what evidence they have against him.