by 
On Thursday, July 26, 2018, Leanor “Lily” Guitard was sentenced to seven years of probation and six months in jail for shooting and killing Juana Cervantes Valesquez Sanchez in 2014. Guitard was originally charged with negligent homicide and then indicted for 2nd degree murder. A plea deal was made earlier this year with Guitard pleading no contest to a charge of manslaughter.
On Jan. 11, 2014 Pinal County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Guitard’s home in Oracle where they found Sanchez on the floor in the dining room. Guitard was reported as being intoxicated. Court filings showed that blood levels of Guitard and Sanchez were above the legal limit. Guitard gave conflicting information to police claiming during her 911 call that she shot someone because they had stabbed her with a knife. Later she said she shot Sanchez who was breaking into her home and then telling officers that Sanchez had been beating her and that they were friends. No knives were found in the immediate area and Guitard did not have any physical injuries.
Court records show that Guitard’s attorney argued that Sanchez and Guitard were friends and there was no motive for her to kill Sanchez. Guitard had been suffering from extreme depression, due to her husband’s recent death and having lost her job. The Pinal County Adult Probation Department recommended probation based on her lack of criminal history and genuine remorse for killing Sanchez.
There are news or informational items frequently written by staff or submitted to the Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner, Superior Sun, Pinal Nugget or Oracle Towne Crier for inclusion in our print or digital products. These items are not credited with an author.
by by