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Jennifer Abigail Espinoza Orellana was accused of killing her boyfriend, 20-year-old Jose Manuel Zavala Marquez, near her home in the 8000 block of Shady Spring Drive in Gaithersburg on Sept. 10 last year.
Officers from the Montgomery County Department of Police were called to Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center shortly after 5:50 a.m., when Zavala Marquez was dropped off suffering from a stab wound.
He later died from his injuries.
Investigators said Espinoza Orellana stabbed Zavala Marquez in the chest with a knife after an argument spilled outside their home.
The blade pierced his sternum and heart.
Rather than immediately seeking medical aid, Espinoza Orellana placed Zavala Marquez in her car and drove to a family member’s home, then to a park to meet another person, prosecutors said.
Hours passed before she brought him to the hospital.
Court documents revealed the stabbing occurred just before 1:15 a.m., but Zavala Marquez wasn’t dropped off at the hospital until 5:50 a.m. Espinoza Orellana returned to the hospital around 8 a.m., where police questioned her.
She initially provided false information about the events that led to Zavala Marquez’s death.
After a five-day trial, jurors deliberated for just 90 minutes before finding Espinoza Orellana guilty of second-degree murder.
She will be sentenced in April 2025 and faces up to 40 years in prison.
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