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POST FALLS, Idaho (AP) — A man accused of strangling his wife and her daughter in Post Falls has pleaded guilty.
Angel Albertico Morales-Larranaga, 26, entered his plea Wednesday in Kootenai County court. As part of a plea agreement, Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney Barry McHugh agreed to withdraw his intent to seek the death penalty, according to The Spokesman-Review (http://bit.ly/1mETe2E).
The agreement calls for Morales-Larranaga to plead guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and serve two consecutive life sentences with no chance of parole. As part of the agreement, Morales-Larranaga also waived his right to appeal the conviction and sentence.
"We worked with law enforcement and the victim's family to come to a resolution," McHugh said.
Morales-Larranaga is charged in the deaths of 24-year-old Facunda Velenzuelaleon and 6-year-old Dayana Valencia on July 8, 2014.
A Post Falls police report says Morales-Larranaga told a friend he strangled his wife. The friend asked about the girl and said Morales-Larranaga replied that she was hitting him so he "had to kill her, too."
Kootenai County Public Defender John Adams said his client will regret killing Dayana and Velenzuelaleon for the rest of his life.
"I am saddened at the complete loss of life in this case," Adams said Wednesday. "Angel's wife, Facunda, and his daughter, Dyanna, are dead, and now he will spend the rest of his young life in prison. Angel is as remorseful as a man could be and will forever regret his unplanned and uncontrolled actions."
Morales-Larranaga will be sentenced Jan. 26.
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Information from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com
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