As the search continues today for a man whose wife was found murdered in a San Diego City College bathroom this week, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis still has not explained why she didn't press assault charges against the man when his wife accused him of kidnap and assault last month.
Nineteen-year-old Diana Gonzalez told police her 37-year-old husband Armando Gabriel Perez kidnapped her, held her for days and choked her to the point of unconsciousness. Perez was jailed, but then released when the district attorney's office didn't press charges. A police report says there were 20 instances of prior abuse.
This week Gonzalez's barely recognizable body was found in the bathroom at San Diego City College and police believe her husband may be involved. Dumanis won't say why Perez was not prosecuted for the kidnapping allegations.
In a written satament, she said, "I want to make it clear that the District Attorney's Office takes cases of domestic violence very seriously. We work closely with victims and hold perpetrators accountable whenever responsible."
Dumanis' Spokesman Steve Walker says the office does not discuss why charges are not filed in a case. But Former DA Paul Pfingst says historically the office has explained why certain cases, like officer-involved shootings, were not pursued. He says Dumanis owes the public an explanation in the Gonzalez case.
"The public is entitled to know whether or not there was a screw-up with the government that ultimately resulted in the death of an innocent woman," Pfingst said. "The reason we're entitled to know that is so the public can be assured that the proper changes were made."
Police believe Perez is hiding in Mexico. If he is found and charged, his citizenship status may play a role in whether prosecutors seek the maximum punishment, Pfingst said.
"If the suspect is a Mexican citizen, then Mexico has an interest in ensuring that he would not face the death penalty upon return to the United States," Pfingst said. "If the suspect is not a Mexican citizen, they don't care as much."
Gonzalez was the mother of a nine-month-old baby.
