Who is Tony Louis Valez? Father sentenced to 100 years in prison for killing daughter while shooting wife and son
HELENA, MONTANA: Tony Louis Valez, a 66-year-old Helena man, will serve the rest of his life behind bars after pleading guilty to murdering his daughter while trying to shoot his wife and son.
Valez was sentenced on Wednesday by District Court Judge Mike Menahan to 100 years in state prison for the 2022 murder of 8-year-old Arianna Frankie Louise Valez, according to officials.
The father appeared via Zoom for the hearing since he needs an oxygen tank due to his conditions, which include hepatitis B, diabetes, emphysema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
In addition to murdering his daughter, Valez also shot Arianna's mother, who recovered from her injuries after reportedly doing a stint in the ICU.
In September 2023, he pleaded guilty to a count of deliberate homicide for killing Arianna. In exchange for a guilty plea, prosecutors reportedly dropped two counts of attempted deliberate homicide.
Why did Tony Louis Valez kill his daughter?
Arianna was reportedly murdered on July 10, 2022, when officers responded to a residence in the 800 block of Orange Avenue after a man said he had just shot at people inside his home who were trying to attack him.
Shortly later, someone else called 911, informing the operator that a woman had been shot at the same home, according to the Law & Crime.
Upon their arrival, the first responders found a young girl suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the back. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries a few hours later.
Court records obtained by NBC station KTVH stated that Valez snapped after believing that his son and partner were attempting to get him out of the house.
He told investigators in a fit of rage, he grabbed a handgun he kept in his room, and then opened fire on them. He reportedly fired five bullets.
Valez tried to shoot his son but missed and struck Ariana in the back as she was trying to run to safety, records said.
What did officials say about Valez’s sentencing?
Before handing down the sentence, Judge Menahan reflected on Valez’s crime, saying, “I just can’t believe being evicted would justify picking up a handgun in that small of a space with children present.”
“He engaged in dangerous behavior that put everyone’s life at risk and intended to bring harm to the adults present,” the judge continued.
“The day Arianna died, so did a part of my heart. I fall asleep crying,” Ariana’s mother, Heather Hall, read a victim impact statement, according to the Record.
Hall also requested that Valez be given the longest possible term, stating that she thought his release would put her family in danger.