Glendale man sentenced to life in prison for killing his girlfriend and her 4-year-old daughter

PHOENIX — A man who murdered his girlfriend and her 4-year-old daughter has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison, authorities said.

Brandon Andres Bautista Torres, 31, committed the murders in June 2019, according to a Wednesday announcement from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO).

He pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree murder and one count of manslaughter.

Glendale man sentenced to life in prison for murder of girlfriend, her daughter

Torres had a history of domestic abuse, according to MCAO.

Before the murders, he had previously threatened to kill his girlfriend with a firearm.

“This was a horrific and cowardly act of domestic violence that claimed two innocent lives,” Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in the announcement.

Glendale man who murdered his girlfriend, 4-year-old girl lied, MCAO says

Torres initially told police an intruder had broken into the home and shot his girlfriend and his daughter. He claimed to have taken his toddler son to his parents’ house before returning to the scene of the crime.

He later changed his story, telling police he struggled with the intruder, during which a gun discharged and the intruder fled, according to MCAO.

He told police he took three hours to report the crime because he feared being blamed for the two deaths.

“He no longer deserves the chance to walk freely in this community,” Mitchell said. “I’m truly grateful to the Glendale Police Department and my prosecutors at MCAO who made sure he will spend his life where he belongs.”

Related

Valley man arrested for allegedly killing wife in domestic violence homicideSuspect arrested for allegedly killing girlfriend in Phoenix after 11-month investigation2 adults dead in apparent murder-suicide in southwest PhoenixArizona mom who killed her 2 kids with meat cleaver in 2021 sentenced to life in prisonPedestrian left in critical condition after hit-and-run in west PhoenixDeveloper selected to create main street district in Peoria master-planned community