Alfredo Prieto
Salvadoran-American Serial Killer
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Virginia, United States
TIME PERIOD
1988-1990
VICTIMS
9 confirmed
Alfredo Rolando Prieto, a Salvadoran-American serial killer, was apprehended on September 6, 1990, in Virginia after being linked to a series of violent crimes, including nine murders across Virginia and California between May 1988 and September 1990. Initially convicted for a single murder, subsequent DNA evidence connected him to multiple additional homicides, leading to convictions for capital murder, rape, and other violent offenses. Prieto was sentenced to death in both states and ultimately executed by lethal injection in Virginia on October 1, 2015. Significant evidence in the case included DNA profiling that established his involvement in the murders, as well as testimonies from victims and witnesses that corroborated his violent history and criminal behavior.
Alfredo Prieto is theorized to have committed additional murders beyond those he was convicted for, with some speculating that his violent tendencies were influenced by his traumatic childhood experiences in El Salvador. Investigators and the public have suggested that his background, including exposure to violence and poverty, may have contributed to his criminal behavior. Additionally, there are beliefs that Prieto may have had accomplices or that he was part of a larger network of criminals during his active years.
Alfredo Prieto: A Twisted Trail of Violence
Origins of a Killer
Alfredo Rolando Prieto's journey from El Salvador to a death chamber in Virginia is a chilling tale of violence and justice. Born on November 18, 1965, in San Martín, El Salvador, Prieto's early life was marred by poverty and the brutality of the Football War. His mother, Teodora, fled to the United States in 1975 to escape domestic abuse, leaving Alfredo and his siblings in a war-torn country. During the Salvadoran Civil War, Prieto witnessed unimaginable horrors, including the murder of his grandfather, which left him with a diagnosis of PTSD.
In 1981, life offered a fleeting respite when Teodora reunited with her children in Pomona, California. But the respite was short-lived. Alfredo attended Pomona High School, where he succumbed to the lure of drugs and alcohol. He joined a local gang, "456 Island Piru," and dropped out of school. Marriage to Sandra Figueroa followed, along with the birth of their child in 1984. That same year, Prieto's life took a darker turn when he shot three people, allegedly due to jealousy over his wife's infidelity. The court showed leniency, and he served a brief prison term, being released in 1987.
Seeking a fresh start, Prieto moved to Arlington County, Virginia, where he found work and fathered another child. Yet, the shadow of his father's criminal past loomed large when his father was imprisoned for rape in late 1989. The following year, Prieto returned to California, setting the stage for a series of heinous crimes that would span states and claim multiple lives.
The Murder of Yvette Woodruff
The morning of September 2, 1990, unfolded like a nightmare. Prieto, alongside Vincent Lopez and Danny Sorian, robbed Anthony Rangela in Ontario, California. The trio then forced Rangela to guide them to his home, where his 33-year-old aunt Emily D., her 17-year-old daughter Lisa H., and Lisa's friend, 15-year-old Yvette Woodruff, resided. The men kidnapped the women, driving them to the city's outskirts. Along the way, Lopez opted out, replaced by Ricardo Estrada, whom they encountered at a gas station.
In a grim industrial zone, the men raped the women before Prieto callously shot Woodruff. Sorian and Estrada brutalized Emily D. and Lisa H., leaving them for dead. Miraculously, despite severe injuries, the two women survived to testify about the assault. The police found Woodruff's body that same day, and shortly thereafter, the car used in the crime.
Discovery and Arrest
The police moved swiftly, armed with information from street informants. Between September 6 and 22, 1990, they rounded up Prieto and his accomplices. A crucial piece of evidence, a pistol belonging to one of the victims, was found in Prieto’s apartment. It was confirmed as the murder weapon.
Trials and a Web of Crimes
Prieto's trial for the murder of Yvette Woodruff culminated on January 21, 1992, with convictions for first-degree murder, rape, kidnapping, and robbery. He was sentenced to death and transferred to San Quentin State Prison, where he awaited execution for 14 years.
The story might have ended there, but in 2005, California mandated DNA profiling for all convicts. This led to a chilling revelation. In early 2006, Prieto's DNA linked him to eight additional murders between 1988 and 1990. This included the 1988 rape and murder of 24-year-old Veronica "Tina" Lynn Jefferson in Arlington and the slayings of 22-year-olds Rachael Raver and Warren Fulton III in Reston. In 1989, 27-year-old Manuel Sermeno's murder in Prince William County was also connected to Prieto.
The gruesome spree continued in California with the May 5, 1990, murders of 19-year-old Stacey Siegrist and her fiancé, Anthony Gianuzzi, in Rubidoux. Siegrist was sexually assaulted before being shot. On June 2, 1990, Prieto killed Lula Mae Farley in an alley behind an Ontario supermarket, and her husband Herbert was later found dead in Rubidoux. Steven Valdez was initially suspected in these cases but released due to unreliable witness testimony.
Following these discoveries, Virginia prosecutors charged Prieto anew, leading to his extradition from San Quentin in April 2006. Virginia's expedited appeals process offered a swifter path to execution than California, prompting the move.
A Tangled Legal Battle
Prieto stood trial in Virginia for the Raver-Fulton murders in 2007. Although initially convicted, a juror's claim of peer pressure led to a mistrial. A second trial in 2008 resulted in a conviction and two death sentences. Yet, legal wrangling continued. The Virginia Supreme Court overturned the sentence due to a jury form error, but a third trial in 2010 reaffirmed his death penalty.
Prieto's defense argued intellectual disability, citing an IQ range of 67 to 73. However, the prosecution countered with evidence of Prieto's successful schooling and social adaptability, securing his final death sentence.
The Final Chapter
On October 1, 2015, Alfredo Prieto was executed by lethal injection at Greensville Correctional Center, Virginia. His lawyers' last-minute appeal, questioning the safety and source of the execution drugs, was dismissed. At 9:17 p.m., justice was served for the victims and their families who witnessed his end.
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First Murder Committed
Alfredo Prieto begins a series of murders in Virginia and California.
Murder of Yvette Woodruff
Prieto and accomplices kidnap and murder 15-year-old Yvette Woodruff in Ontario.
Arrest of Prieto
Alfredo Prieto is arrested along with accomplices after police receive tips about the crime.
Conviction for Murder
Prieto is found guilty of first-degree murder, rape, kidnapping, and robbery, receiving the death sentence.
Extradition to Virginia
Prieto is extradited to Virginia to face additional charges after DNA links him to more murders.
Second Conviction in Virginia
Prieto is convicted again for the murders of Rachael Raver and Warren Fulton, receiving two death sentences.
Final Sentencing
Prieto is resentenced to death for a third time after an appeal regarding his intellectual disability fails.
Execution
Alfredo Prieto is executed by lethal injection at Greensville Correctional Center.
Alfredo Rolando Prieto, a Salvadoran-American serial killer, was apprehended on September 6, 1990, in Virginia after being linked to a series of violent crimes, including nine murders across Virginia and California between May 1988 and September 1990. Initially convicted for a single murder, subsequent DNA evidence connected him to multiple additional homicides, leading to convictions for capital murder, rape, and other violent offenses. Prieto was sentenced to death in both states and ultimately executed by lethal injection in Virginia on October 1, 2015. Significant evidence in the case included DNA profiling that established his involvement in the murders, as well as testimonies from victims and witnesses that corroborated his violent history and criminal behavior.
Alfredo Prieto is theorized to have committed additional murders beyond those he was convicted for, with some speculating that his violent tendencies were influenced by his traumatic childhood experiences in El Salvador. Investigators and the public have suggested that his background, including exposure to violence and poverty, may have contributed to his criminal behavior. Additionally, there are beliefs that Prieto may have had accomplices or that he was part of a larger network of criminals during his active years.
Alfredo Prieto: A Twisted Trail of Violence
Origins of a Killer
Alfredo Rolando Prieto's journey from El Salvador to a death chamber in Virginia is a chilling tale of violence and justice. Born on November 18, 1965, in San Martín, El Salvador, Prieto's early life was marred by poverty and the brutality of the Football War. His mother, Teodora, fled to the United States in 1975 to escape domestic abuse, leaving Alfredo and his siblings in a war-torn country. During the Salvadoran Civil War, Prieto witnessed unimaginable horrors, including the murder of his grandfather, which left him with a diagnosis of PTSD.
In 1981, life offered a fleeting respite when Teodora reunited with her children in Pomona, California. But the respite was short-lived. Alfredo attended Pomona High School, where he succumbed to the lure of drugs and alcohol. He joined a local gang, "456 Island Piru," and dropped out of school. Marriage to Sandra Figueroa followed, along with the birth of their child in 1984. That same year, Prieto's life took a darker turn when he shot three people, allegedly due to jealousy over his wife's infidelity. The court showed leniency, and he served a brief prison term, being released in 1987.
Seeking a fresh start, Prieto moved to Arlington County, Virginia, where he found work and fathered another child. Yet, the shadow of his father's criminal past loomed large when his father was imprisoned for rape in late 1989. The following year, Prieto returned to California, setting the stage for a series of heinous crimes that would span states and claim multiple lives.
The Murder of Yvette Woodruff
The morning of September 2, 1990, unfolded like a nightmare. Prieto, alongside Vincent Lopez and Danny Sorian, robbed Anthony Rangela in Ontario, California. The trio then forced Rangela to guide them to his home, where his 33-year-old aunt Emily D., her 17-year-old daughter Lisa H., and Lisa's friend, 15-year-old Yvette Woodruff, resided. The men kidnapped the women, driving them to the city's outskirts. Along the way, Lopez opted out, replaced by Ricardo Estrada, whom they encountered at a gas station.
In a grim industrial zone, the men raped the women before Prieto callously shot Woodruff. Sorian and Estrada brutalized Emily D. and Lisa H., leaving them for dead. Miraculously, despite severe injuries, the two women survived to testify about the assault. The police found Woodruff's body that same day, and shortly thereafter, the car used in the crime.
Discovery and Arrest
The police moved swiftly, armed with information from street informants. Between September 6 and 22, 1990, they rounded up Prieto and his accomplices. A crucial piece of evidence, a pistol belonging to one of the victims, was found in Prieto’s apartment. It was confirmed as the murder weapon.
Trials and a Web of Crimes
Prieto's trial for the murder of Yvette Woodruff culminated on January 21, 1992, with convictions for first-degree murder, rape, kidnapping, and robbery. He was sentenced to death and transferred to San Quentin State Prison, where he awaited execution for 14 years.
The story might have ended there, but in 2005, California mandated DNA profiling for all convicts. This led to a chilling revelation. In early 2006, Prieto's DNA linked him to eight additional murders between 1988 and 1990. This included the 1988 rape and murder of 24-year-old Veronica "Tina" Lynn Jefferson in Arlington and the slayings of 22-year-olds Rachael Raver and Warren Fulton III in Reston. In 1989, 27-year-old Manuel Sermeno's murder in Prince William County was also connected to Prieto.
The gruesome spree continued in California with the May 5, 1990, murders of 19-year-old Stacey Siegrist and her fiancé, Anthony Gianuzzi, in Rubidoux. Siegrist was sexually assaulted before being shot. On June 2, 1990, Prieto killed Lula Mae Farley in an alley behind an Ontario supermarket, and her husband Herbert was later found dead in Rubidoux. Steven Valdez was initially suspected in these cases but released due to unreliable witness testimony.
Following these discoveries, Virginia prosecutors charged Prieto anew, leading to his extradition from San Quentin in April 2006. Virginia's expedited appeals process offered a swifter path to execution than California, prompting the move.
A Tangled Legal Battle
Prieto stood trial in Virginia for the Raver-Fulton murders in 2007. Although initially convicted, a juror's claim of peer pressure led to a mistrial. A second trial in 2008 resulted in a conviction and two death sentences. Yet, legal wrangling continued. The Virginia Supreme Court overturned the sentence due to a jury form error, but a third trial in 2010 reaffirmed his death penalty.
Prieto's defense argued intellectual disability, citing an IQ range of 67 to 73. However, the prosecution countered with evidence of Prieto's successful schooling and social adaptability, securing his final death sentence.
The Final Chapter
On October 1, 2015, Alfredo Prieto was executed by lethal injection at Greensville Correctional Center, Virginia. His lawyers' last-minute appeal, questioning the safety and source of the execution drugs, was dismissed. At 9:17 p.m., justice was served for the victims and their families who witnessed his end.
Sources
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
First Murder Committed
Alfredo Prieto begins a series of murders in Virginia and California.
Murder of Yvette Woodruff
Prieto and accomplices kidnap and murder 15-year-old Yvette Woodruff in Ontario.
Arrest of Prieto
Alfredo Prieto is arrested along with accomplices after police receive tips about the crime.
Conviction for Murder
Prieto is found guilty of first-degree murder, rape, kidnapping, and robbery, receiving the death sentence.
Extradition to Virginia
Prieto is extradited to Virginia to face additional charges after DNA links him to more murders.
Second Conviction in Virginia
Prieto is convicted again for the murders of Rachael Raver and Warren Fulton, receiving two death sentences.
Final Sentencing
Prieto is resentenced to death for a third time after an appeal regarding his intellectual disability fails.
Execution
Alfredo Prieto is executed by lethal injection at Greensville Correctional Center.