On July 15, NBC’s Dateline will feature coverage of Michel Escoto’s 2014 trial for the 2002 murder of his young, newlywed wife, Wendy Trapaga.
Similar to this, “Mystery in South Beach” chronicles Trapaga’s tragic death and the court case that results from it.
In October 2002, 42-year-old Escoto and 21-year-old Trapaga were married. Four days later, Trapaga was found dead outside a warehouse, close to a trash can.
What specifically happened to Wendy Trapaga, then?
How did Wendy Trapaga fare?
A 21-year-old claimant named Wendy Marie Trapaga was killed in Miami Springs in October 2002. The authorities announced that her husband, Michel Escoto, was charged with her murder.
As the daughter’s heir and personal representative, Yolanda Cerrillo was wrongly convicted, according to Myriam Benitez.
The family of Trapaga believed that Cerrillo had helped Escoto carry out the murder in order to collect a $1 million insurance claim on Trapaga, according to the estate’s counsel.
Four days after her marriage, she was killed.
Cerrillo was granted immunity by the prosecution in exchange for information about Escoto.
Cerrillo, according to the estate’s attorney, testified to the prosecution that she helped Escoto crush narcotic painkiller pills into powder to knock Trapaga out before he beat her to death.
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Story of the Wendy Trapaga Murder in the Dateline Episode “Mystery On The South Beach”
The latest Dateline episode, Murder Mystery on the South Beach, tells the tale of a tragic incident that took the life of Wendy Trapaga, a newlywed bride.
Escoto and Cerillo first intended to murder Trapaga. On their honeymoon, the groom made an effort to drug Trapaga by mixing crushed Percocet into her drink, which he then drowned in the bathtub while pretending it was an accident.
This plan, however, was unsuccessful because Trapaga had misgivings about the murky beverage. Only a few days later, Trapaga escaped Escoto’s second attempt to drown her in the Jacuzzi at Miami’s Executive Airport Motel.
So, later that evening, outside of a warehouse, Escoto beat her to death with a tyre iron. Cerillo’s ability to lead law police to the murder weapon sealed Escoto’s demise.
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Wendy Trapaga was murdered by Michael Escoto for her life insurance.
Michale Escoto wasn’t detained by authorities until 2005, despite the fact that the offence was committed in 2002.
Escoto’s story was essentially questioned when he filed a lawsuit to retrieve a $1 million life insurance policy that Trapaga had bought when they started living together.
The husband of Wendy Trapaga is Michael Escoto.
He provided contradictory narratives of what happened in a 2005 trial in order to get the life insurance payment, and in the process, he implicated himself.
During the 2014 trial, the murderer’s husband Michael gave testimony on his own behalf and entered a “not guilty” plea to the charge of first-degree murder. However, Yolanda Cerillo’s testimony allowed Trapaga’s case to be put together for the judge and jury.
Where Is Michael Escoto, The Killer, Now?
At the Charlotte Correctional Institution in Punta Gorda, Florida, Michael Escoto is presently housed in a prison for men only.
He will undoubtedly spend the rest of his days there, watching Trapaga’s family grieve over her tragic death.
Escoto was convicted in 2014 and is now incarcerated for the rest of his life.
The court similarly denied his request for a fresh trial. “Wendy’s life was brief, but her road to justice was lengthy,” said prosecutor Gail Levine.
Escoto was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after being found guilty of first-degree premeditated murder.
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