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Domestic Violence Awareness & Prevention
Dr. Naomi Adler, a Kaiser emergency room physician, joins KTVU's Alex Savidge to discuss resources available to people experiencing abuse.
DUBLIN, Calif. - Authorities allege a 25-year-old woman charged in the stabbing and hammer-beating death of her boyfriend was upset he could not give her $150,000.
Crystal Espinoza is charged in the May 5, 2023, death of 23-year-old Jesus Gallegos. The incident occurred at an apartment on Campbell Lane in Dublin. According to Dublin Police Services, Espinoza called 911 around 9 p.m. to report she had gotten into a fight with Gallegos and that he was no longer breathing.
Conflicting accounts
What we know:
When first responders arrived, they found Gallegos lying on the bathroom floor. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Espinoza initially told officers the couple had been arguing over finances. She claimed Gallegos grabbed and choked her, leading to a struggle. According to her initial statement, Gallegos hit his head in the bedroom and then fell again in the bathroom, striking his head on the toilet and bathtub.
However, investigators determined that the injuries were inconsistent with a fall. An autopsy later confirmed Gallegos died from blunt-force impacts to his head, torso, and extremities, noting lesions and lacerations all over his body.
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Evidence of abuse and financial strain
Dig deeper:
Espinoza was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder.
Investigators allege she struck Gallegos multiple times with both a hammer and a knife.
Authorities reviewed emails and text messages between Espinoza and Gallegos detailing their spending habits and financial woes.
Although Gallegos had been supporting Espinoza financially during their relationship, investigators said they found a recording of Espinoza verbally and physically abusing him because he could not provide her with $150,000.
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History of domestic violence
The investigation also revealed what police described as a pattern of domestic violence. On two occasions, Gallegos was treated in an emergency room for large cuts to his chest and arm. In one incident, he told doctors he had accidentally cut himself with a saw.
Police said those prior incidents, along with escalating financial demands, culminated in the fatal attack.
The Source: This story was written based on information from Dublin Police Services.