Merced County murder, kidnapping case heading to trial

MERCED, Calif.

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Teresa Robles and Jose Velarde are accused of strangling a Planada woman and burning her body in an orchard near Snelling in 2010.

Detectives say the couple killed Ana Diaz Deceja because they wanted to keep her two-month-old son as their own. But days later, little Anthony was left on a doorstep in Le Grand.

Attorneys finished picking a jury for Velarde Wednesday, and will start selecting Robles' jury next week.

The trial is expected to last about a month.

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