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Kenner man convicted again in fatal love triangle

UPDATE:  Viusqui Perez-Espinosa has been resentenced to life in prison for the murder of Ives Alexis Portales-Lara.

Espinosa was convicted on Jan. 31 for a charge of second degree-murder after reportedly killing his rival in a Kenner love triangle, cutting up the body and dumping the parts in St. John swamp.



KENNER, La. (WGNO) — On Tuesday (Jan. 31) 50-year-old Viusqui Perez-Espinosa, was convicted of 2nd degree murder– for a second time– in a case that involved the killing of a rival in a Kenner love triangle.

Espinosa had been convicted of the murder in 2018 but he was granted a new trial because of the U.S. Supreme Court’s “Ramos” decision, which requires a unanimous jury for felony convictions.

This week, after a four hour deliberation, a Jefferson Parish jury voted unanimously for the conviction.

Detectives say that Espinosa killed his friend, Ives Alexis Portales-Lara, in a lover’s triangle involving a woman who was both men’s co-worker and shared their apartment.

Espinosa killed Portales-Lara in the apartment, dismembered the body, and dumped it in a swamp in St. John the Baptist Parish.

He will serve a mandatory life sentence.

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