Northwest

Sunrise Man Gets Life in Prison in Mutilation Murder of Girlfriend

A Sunrise man who murdered his girlfriend and mutilated her body after authorities say she called out the name of her ex-husband during sex will be spending the rest of his life behind bars.

Fidel Lopez, 26, was in a Broward County courtroom Thursday where he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Lopez pleaded guilty to murder and sexual battery charges in the 2015 killing of 31-year-old Maria Nemeth as part of a deal with prosecutors last month.

The deal ensured that Lopez would avoid the death penalty. Defense attorney Gabe Ermine said he had tried to negotiate for a 50-year prison term but that was rejected by prosecutors.

Police said Lopez told officers he became enraged and turned into a "monster" when he killed Nemeth at his apartment on Northwest 128th Drive on September 20, 2015.

Authorities said Lopez told them he had been drinking tequila and they were in a closet having sex when Nemeth twice called out her ex-husband's name.

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