02 July 2010 :

A Santa Clara County jury sentenced Rodrigo Paniagua Jr. To death. It is the first time a local panel has imposed the death penalty in 13 years. Paniagua, 33, hispanic, was found guilty on June 10 of four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his 26-year-old girlfriend Leticia Chavez, her 5-month-old fetus and their daughters, 3-year-old AnaLisa and 6-year-old Adrina. Authorities say Paniagua had a history of abuse and attacked his family on October 11, 2005 because he thought Chavez was preparing to leave him. Paniagua was also convicted of one count of arson. Authorities say he set fire to the family's home to conceal the killings.