Man gets life in prison for 2002 triple murder

MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho - A Mexican national convicted of shooting to death his girlfriend and her two young sons in the southern Idaho desert 11 years ago has been sentenced to three consecutive life terms in prison.

A 4th District Judge sentenced Jorge Alberto Lopez-Orozco Monday for the August 2002 slaying of Rebecca Ramirez and two of her children, whose bodies were found in a burned car south of Mountain Home.

Orozco was long considered the chief suspect in the case and spent time on the FBI's Most Wanted list, but he fled and hid in Mexico for seven years before being captured and returned to Idaho in 2009. He was convicted by a jury in November of three counts of first-degree murder.

In court Monday, Elmore County Prosecutor Kristina Schindele said the life terms were appropriate, in part because Orozco has never shown any remorse for his actions, according to a story published Monday by the Idaho Statesman.

Fourth District Judge Timothy Hansen, a veteran of 20 years on the bench, called the crime one of the most egregious and heinous he's ever seen.

"The question keeps coming back to why," Hansen said.

Orozco rejected the opportunity to address the judge before sentencing.

During the trial, prosecutors said Orozco killed Ramirez and her boys because she found out he was married and was going to leave him. Prosecutors also argued Orozco believed Ramirez had stolen drugs and money from him.

But Orozco argued someone else shot at his car and killed Ramirez and her children after he ran away.