A San Fernando Valley man who shot his sister-in-law inside a Van Nuys home in early 2017 has now entered a no-contest plea to first-degree murder and was immediately sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison. The plea brings to a close a case that began with the Jan. 8, 2017, shooting of Sulma Flores, who died from her injuries several days later.
Case background
Prosecutors say Marcos Tulio Flores was charged after the early-January 2017 attack at a Van Nuys residence, and that the victim died on Jan. 14. According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, the original complaint listed counts of murder, criminal threats, evading a pursuing peace officer, and multiple weapons-related charges.
High-speed chase and arrest
The day after the shooting, prosecutors say Flores led officers on a pursuit that stretched for more than an hour before it ended on the southbound San Diego (405) Freeway in the Sepulveda Pass. Investigators reported that items were tossed from the vehicle and that at least one shot was fired during the chase. The Los Angeles Times Homicide Report notes that officers ultimately used a police K-9 to subdue Flores before he was taken to a hospital.
Plea and sentence
Flores, now 41, entered his no-contest plea on Thursday to first-degree murder and received a state prison term of 25 years to life, according to MyNewsLA, which reports that the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced the development. MyNewsLA also reports that prosecutors dismissed seven additional counts as part of the agreement, including evading a pursuing officer, assault with a firearm, burglary, and criminal threats.
What a no-contest plea means
A "no contest" or nolo contendere plea allows a defendant to accept a conviction without formally admitting guilt, yet it carries the same criminal consequences as a guilty plea at sentencing, legal guides note. Nolo explains that some defendants choose this route in an effort to limit how the plea might be used in related civil lawsuits, although the rules differ from state to state.
