A replacement ruling by the Second Chamber of the La Serena Court of Appeals has sparked public concern after reducing the sentence of Francisco Novoa, who stabbed 29-year-old Camila Rojas (pictured) to death while she slept beside her 5-year-old daughter. The child was also attacked but survived.
Novoa, 41, will now serve 35 years in prison, replacing the original life sentence handed down on July 29.
According to a report by broadcaster Mega, the killers defense filed an appeal for annulment that was partially upheld: while his role in the crime was not disputed, the court ruled his criminal liability did not warrant the justice systems most severe penalty. The judges also considered his cooperation during the proceedings and his previously clean record.
As regional newspaper El Día reported, the qualified life term was replaced with 20 years of maximum-term presidio mayor. In addition, the sentence for the attempted homicide of the victims daughter was reduced from 20 to 15 years (mid-level presidio mayor), bringing the total to 35 years. The ruling could enable him to apply for prison benefits in the future.
What Happened
On the night of July 3, 2024, while Camila Rojas slept next to her 5-year-old daughter at their home in La Serena, neighbor Francisco Novoa forced his way in and stabbed her 97 times, killing her at the scene. He also injured the child, who survived.
In court, the defendant confessed and said he was under the influence of drugs (cocaine and tusi): 'I knew I had done something, but I didnt know to whom. I called my wife or she called me; I told her to come get me, that I had done something bad…', his statement reads.
Family members and friends of the victim alleged he had developed an obsession with her and would often stare at her with an obvious sexual fixation.
At the time, the familys attorney, Marcia Gallardo, said Novoa had allegedly stalked her on multiple occasions, even cutting off the gas while she was showering so she would step out in a towel to check what was happening. 'That is why we maintain this was a femicide,' she argued.
Investigators later determined that Novoa already had a prior conviction for sexual assault against a woman in the commune of La Ligua.
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