Scott Allen was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for murdering Mandy Burriel.
The 44-year-old died at the hands of her former boyfriend. In December 2023, he called law enforcement reporting she fell.
“It wasn’t a slip and fall. If it was a slip and fall, I could understand one mark on her face, but not bruises and marks all over her body,” said the victim’s niece, Alicia Gonzales.
Four days later, Mandy Burriel died in the hospital.
District attorney Sally Moreno is hoping Monday’s sentencing will provide some justice to her family.
“Often, they walk out of court thinking to themselves, ”Yeah, but I still don’t get my person back.’ That’s the thing that happens, and the system can do what the system can do. I hope that they are able to take some solace and find some resolution to this,” said Moreno.
Mandy leaves behind three daughters — the oldest of whom, Audrey Cross, still wishes she could sing with her mom at least one more time.
“My mom and I had a hard relationship, and we had just started making amends. I feel like Scott took everything that we had left. I just don’t think it was fair for him to decide that it was her time,” said Cross.