The Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office has accepted a plea deal for a Turlock woman accused of stabbing to death her estranged boyfriend, who had a history of domestic violence.
Selina Paulina Vargas, 32, entered a no contest plea to a single charge of voluntary manslaughter Wednesday in Stanislaus County Superior Court. Vargas was sentenced to six years in prison.
Vargas had been facing a premeditated murder charge for the stabbing death of 32-year-old Anthony Simmons on Feb. 16, 2009.
Simmons and Vargas had been in a relationship for several years and had two children with each other.
According to the Turlock Police Department, a 911 call was received shortly after 3 a.m. Monday from a woman, later identified as Vargas, stating there had been a stabbing in her apartment in the 100 block of Starr Avenue.
When police arrived they found the door ajar and Simmons lying in a pool of blood on the floor. Simmons still had a pulse and was rushed to Emanuel Medical Center before succumbing to his wounds.
Investigators said Simmons had been stabbed once in the chest and once in the abdomen with a kitchen knife.
At the time of the investigation, Turlock Police Investigations Sgt. Russell Holeman said the pair had a history of domestic violence calls to the Turlock Police Department and that a restraining order had been issued against Simmons, barring him from having any contact with Vargas. The order had been valid for several months prior to the stabbing, Holeman said.
“Just because there was a restraining order doesn’t mean it was being enforced by both parties,” Holeman said at the time of Vargas’ arrest.
According to court records Simmons had been arrested in 2007 for violating a restraining order.
Investigators found no evidence of forced entry at Vargas’ apartment.
The couple’s two children were home when Simmons was stabbed, but were not witnesses to the attack.
Vargas has been in custody since her arrest in February 2009.
To contact Sabra Stafford, e-mail sstafford@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141 ext. 2002.
