Trial begins for man accused of beating wife to death

EDINBURG — The trial of a rural Weslaco man accused of beating his wife to death opened Tuesday morning.

Pedro Villalobos, 27, is accused of the murder of his wife, Farrah, on Feb. 19, 2011, at their home near Weslaco. Doctors determined she died from blunt force trauma to the head after she was taken off life support several days after the alleged attack.

Jurors began hearing testimony from the Hidalgo County sheriff’s deputies who responded and investigated Farrah Villalobos’ slaying after the trial’s opening arguments.

Deputies have said they responded to a disturbance at the Villalobos home and spoke with Farrah, but believe she was beaten after they left the scene.

Less than an hour later, deputies returned to the neighborhood.

Sheriff’s investigator Victor De Leon testified he pulled over Pedro Villalobos at a traffic stop after neighbors said he had beaten Farrah.

De Leon said he found Pedro lighting a cigarette when he approached his vehicle.

“He said something about how ‘I didn’t even hurt her,’” De Leon testified. “He wanted to know her condition, how she was doing.”

Deputies found marijuana inside Pedro’s vehicle and arrested him. They later arrested his brother, Daniel Cantu Villalobos, in connection with the beating, as well.

Testimony in Pedro Villalobos’ trial is expected to resume Wednesday. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $10,000 fine.

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Jared Taylor covers courts and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at jtaylor@themonitor.com and (956) 683-4439.

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BACKGROUND
>> March 1, 2011: Slain wife spoke to deputy before fatal beating
>> Feb. 28, 2011: Two brothers charged with murder in Weslaco area woman's beating death