Avelina's mother Vitalina Parreira said, "No one can ever take her place. A part of me has died with my Avelina."
Mark Martinho said, "He chose to leave her there begging for her life and for her to die. No one understands the pain we are all going through."
Rodolfo Martinez received 25 years to life in prison for Avelina's murder, plus one additional year for using a knife during the crime.
He made no statement to the court but his attorney said Martinez is remorseful and ashamed for killing Parreira a year and a half ago.
In June 2008, Visalia Police got a call from Martinez telling them he had just stabbed to death his common law wife. Avelina Parreira was the manager of "The Villas", a new gated apartment complex in Southeast Visalia.
Mark Martinho said, "This came pretty much out of the blue. Their relationship was up and down like any normal relationship but towards the end of their relationship it started to get a little bit different."
Avelina Parreira's two sons remember her as a hard-working single mother who showed love to all around her.
Michael Martinho said, "I don't really feel any justification to it our mother is still gone. You know she was a wonderful woman she sacrificed so much for us."
Vitalina Parreira said, "Knowing my Avelina her last thoughts were not about saving her life but that she would never again embrace her two sons and how they would never again feel her comforting and assuring arms around them," said
Avelina's two sons are hoping to create something some good out of this tragedy. They're working on creating a website that would provide information for women who are victims of domestic violence.
