California judge rejects woman’s claim she was following masters’ orders in killing of Marine’s wife

California Judge Rejects BDSM Defense in Murder Case

A California judge made a decisive ruling on Tuesday in a chilling case involving a woman who claimed she was acting on orders in a BDSM (bondage, discipline, sadism, and masochism) fantasy when another woman was kidnapped, tortured, and killed.

Jessica Lynn Lopez had been convicted in the 2012 murder of Brittany Killgore. During a recent hearing, Lopez tried to have her conviction vacated, citing a confession letter where she implicated Dorothy Maraglino as the mastermind behind the gruesome crime, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Killgore, only 22 years old at the time, was not a part of the BDSM lifestyle. However, Lopez and two others had some acquaintance with it. Lopez referred to Maraglino as her master, and she, in turn, identified as Maraglino’s “slave.”

A recent change in the law in California states that individuals who assist in a dangerous felony leading to a murder charge may not be charged with murder themselves, provided they weren’t the actual killer or a major player in the crime.

Superior Court Judge Robert Kearney presided over the Tuesday hearing and found Lopez’s testimony “unreasonable.” He stated, “I don’t find it to be a credible or reasonable assertion of what occurred that day,” ultimately denying her request to have her 2012 conviction overturned.

Prosecutors alleged that Brittany Killgore, who was in the process of divorcing her husband, Corey, was seeking a way out of her marriage. It was during this vulnerable time that Perez approached her, seemingly offering assistance.

According to prosecutors, Maraglino orchestrated the entire sequence of events, harboring a personal grudge against Killgore. As a result, Killgore was abducted on April 13, 2012.

This decision by Judge Kearney ensures that justice is upheld, and the case continues to be a somber reminder of the consequences of heinous actions.