By Ann Jantz
Rocket Miner
Via- Wyoming News Exchange

ROCK SPRINGS — A Utah woman convicted of second degree murder was sentenced to 45 years to life in prison for running down and killing her ex-boyfriend.

In June, the jury spent a little over four hours in deliberations before coming back with the guilty verdict, finding Rene Daniels, 47, did maliciously and recklessly run down and kill Emiliano “Chico” Morales.

Daniels, who grew up in Green River, ran Morales over after the two had an argument on May 24, 2023, near the 9th Street Kum N Go in Rock Springs.

In addition to the sentence, Daniels received credit for 512 days of time served and was ordered to pay a number of court fees and $8,062 in restitution.

During sentencing Tuesday, Oct. 22, in the 3rd District Court of Judge Richard Lavery, the judge determined Daniels’ crime did not warrant a minimum sentence. 

“I believe you committed that crime … maliciously and intentionally,” Lavery said prior to sentencing, noting Daniels’ actions manifested an extreme indifference to human life.

In a courtroom of contrast, where the family of the victim were all dressed in white T-shirts reading “In loving memory of Emiliano Morales III” and the family of Daniels all wore black, Daniels appeared emotional and nervous.

During her statement, Daniels cried, saying she would “carry the weight of Chico’s death” with her for the rest of her life. She apologized to the victim’s family, noting she can’t take anything back but is “so sorry for their pain and suffering.”

In their closing arguments, the defense and prosecution were also a contrast. 

Prosecuting and County Attorney Dan Erramouspe requested a sentence of 75 years to life, saying Daniels’ actions have caused “incredible pain” and were “incredibly callous” and noted rehabilitation only means something “if there’s something to fix.”

“She was not going to let him get away,” he said, adding the character of the defendant should come into play for sentencing purposes. 

Erramouspe called the crime a domestic violence murder “in its most raw and violent form” and said Daniels poses a danger to the community.

Following Tuesday’s proceedings, Erramouspe told the Rocket Miner that no number of years the court can sentence Daniels to will ever “put Chico back with his family.”

Defense Attorney Michael Bennett, by contrast, said Daniels’ sentence should leave the defendant with some sense of hope, to become a better person — something he said the state failed to recognize.

“That is the humanity that creeps into this courtroom,” he said. “There is hope yet … I am asking your honor not to forget about hope.”

Bennett said nothing he can say will take away or erase the pain of Morales’ family, and he hopes his client can “come to terms with the gravity of today.”

The victim’s parents and family members offered strong victim impact statements at Tuesday’s proceedings.

Emiliano Morales Jr., father of the victim, offered the most emotional statements of the family, speaking directly to the defendant.

“I wish that I could hate you, but I can’t. God won’t let me,” he said, choking on tears and supported by another family member. “We have not seen a bit of remorse from you, and that’s disgusting … I feel sorry for you.”

Morales’ mother, Maryalyce Giodano, said her son suffered in a way no one can imagine, and all her family has of Chico now are memories.

“Why did she not let Chico leave?” she said. “No mother should have to bury her child … I have yet to hear any remorse from her.”

She asked Lavery to consider a sentence of 43 years to life — the age her son would be if he was still alive.

Andrea Morales-Otero, sister of the victim, said her brother was “beyond wealthy” from the love of his family, noting her own family have been impacted by his death in the most terrible fashion.

“I can’t fix it for them,” she told the court. “There will never be a day we don’t miss him … (Daniels) has taken the joy out of our lives … and replaced it with pain.”