Suvechha Sarkar
Cathy Torrez was a 20-year-old college student who aspired to be a social worker. She had a promising life ahead of her, and her loved ones never imagined that she would suddenly go missing in February 1994 in Placentia, California. A week later, her remains were discovered in her car. Investigation Discovery’s ‘My Family’s Deadly Secret: Who Killed Cathy?’ delves deeper into the circumstances surrounding the murder and how it finally took 13 years to catch the killers. It also features interviews with her loved ones who continued their relentless search for answers and the officials who never gave up their pursuit of justice.
Cathy Torrez’s Remains Were Discovered in the Trunk of Her Car
Born on June 4, 1973, Cathy Torrez arrived as a bundle of joy in the lives of her mother, Mary Bennett, and her father. Sadly, her parents parted ways shortly after, and Mary married Ron. Mary, Ron, and Cathy settled down in Orange County, California, along with her brother, Marty, and her sisters Debbie and Tina. According to her mother, Cathy was always proud of her Mexican heritage and enjoyed participating in various activities. She had always been a bright student and graduated from Valencia High School in 1991. Cathy then enrolled in California State University, Fullerton with a major in Sociology. Her family members stated that she always wanted to help people and make a remarkable professional trajectory as a social worker.
To support her family, Cathy efficiently balanced her two jobs as a Bilingual Aide at Valencia High School and a Cashier at Sav-On Drug Store. In September 1993, her sister, Tina, got married to Armando Lopez. It reconnected Cathy with Armando’s brother, Samuel Agustin Lopez, AKA Sam, whom she dated back in high school. Everything seemed to be perfect when her life changed forever on February 12, 1994. Around 8 pm that day, she left Sav-On after finishing her shift, and she reportedly called her mother to inquire if she needed anything. However, the following morning, Mary noticed that Cathy had not returned home, and she grew concerned. According to reports, Mary called several people, but they were unable to give any information about Cathy’s whereabouts. So, she called 911 to report Cathy missing.
Once officials began the investigation, they discovered that Cathy’s car was missing. After an intensive search, a patrol officer found her vehicle in the parking lot of a hospital in Placentia, California. As detectives arrived, they were shocked to see that the passenger seat was covered in blood and the surrounding area was in disarray. They also noted bloodstains in the rear bumper. When the trunk was opened, they unfortunately found Cathy dead from multiple stab wounds. The investigators reportedly didn’t find Cathy’s bag inside the car but discovered a bloody handprint in the trunk. The driver’s seat of her car was pushed all the way back, which reportedly indicated that another person was present. Official records state that the autopsy revealed her cause of death was due to extreme blood loss from about 70 stab wounds.
Circumstantial and Forensic Evidence Led Officials to the Killers After 13 Years
In the initial phase of the investigation, officials questioned Cathy’s boyfriend, Sam. He claimed that on that fateful night, he first went to a friend’s house, after which he spent the entire night with his cousin, Xavier Lopez. According to his statements, he alleged that the family of Cathy’s ex-boyfriend, Albert Rangel, could’ve been involved since he had tried to die by suicide just five days before the murder. However, a thorough investigation ruled the family out as suspects. As per police records, when Xavier was questioned, he corroborated Sam’s accounts. Shortly after, forensic experts collected fingerprints from the rear panel of Cathy’s car, but they did not match those of Sam or any of her family members.
The case eventually grew cold and was again reopened in April 1997. During that time, detectives discovered that Xavier’s DNA had not been sent to the crime lab for testing back in 1994. When it turned out to be a match for him, he was again questioned. According to investigative reports, he admitted that he had never helped Cathy with her car, which raised red flags because his fingerprint was found on her vehicle. When confronted with the evidence, he reportedly denied knowing anything. In October 1997, Xavier was arrested for murder, but the district attorney’s office refused to move forward with the case due to a lack of needed evidence. By 2006, investigators set up surveillance on both Sam and Xavier.
Around that time, Mary discovered some letters from Sam, which were addressed to Cathy. In one of those letters, he wrote, “You push me over the edge.” Reports state that in 2007, forensic experts uncovered male DNA from Cathy’s socks and from under one of her arms. When it was compared against Xavier’s, it was reportedly a match. Ultimately, Sam and Xavier were arrested on July 6, 2007. Both of them were charged with the murder of Cathy and were held in custody on $5 million bail each. Sam’s brother, Armando, was also arrested in July 2007 and was indicted on the charges of being an accessory after the fact and dissuading a witness from reporting a crime.
While Sam Lopez is Serving His Sentence, Xavier is Likely Out of Prison Today
The jury trial of Sam commenced on February 10, 2015. During the trial, the prosecution claimed that Sam often asked Cathy to elope with him. So, they alleged that when Cathy rejected that proposal, it made Sam angry, driving him to stab her. The prosecution further claimed that Xavier was allegedly lurking nearby and helped move Cathy from the front seat to the trunk. On the other hand, the defense contended that there was no direct physical evidence tying Sam to Cathy’s vehicle or clothing. They reportedly pointed out that the evidence against Sam was circumstantial. In March 2015, he was found guilty of first-degree murder and was sentenced to 26 years to life in prison on May 1, 2015.
During his sentencing, Sam finally admitted to killing Cathy and apologized to her family. He stated, “It was all my fault. Everything that Mr. Murphy said is true. I do hope and pray this brings at least a small amount of relief from the pain I have caused them.” Unlike him, Xavier avoided a trial by pleading guilty to lesser charges of involuntary manslaughter and accessory to murder in October 2015. He was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison. On February 24, 2017, Armando pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor count of dissuading a witness.
According to the plea deal, the prosecution dropped the felony accessory charge against him. Right after, Armando was sentenced to one year of informal probation. Sam was set to become eligible for parole in January 2023. However, during his parole suitability hearings in March 2023 and September 2024, he was denied parole for 3 years each. Sam’s next parole hearing date is set for September 2027. As of writing, he is incarcerated at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad, California. It appears that Xavier is currently out of prison and is leading a quiet life away from the public eye. Armando is seemingly maintaining a low profile today.
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