Ignacio Ortiz was executed by the State of Arizona for the murder of Manuelita McCormack
According to court documents Ignacio Ortiz would go to the home of Manuelita McCormack and try to rekindle their affair however when she refused he would strangle then stab her to death. Ortiz would stab two young children and would set the house on fire, thankfully the children would survive
Ignacio Ortiz was arrested, convicted and sentenced to death
Ignacio Ortiz would be executed by lethal injection on October 27 1999
Ignacio Ortiz Photos
Ignacio Ortiz Case
Ignacio Ortiz and his wife Mary became godparents to the youngest child, “Baby Charlie,” of Charlie and Manuelita McCormack. Three years later, in 1977 the McCormack’s were having marital difficulties and separated. During that time Ortiz would help out around the house and with the children. There was even some suggestions that Ortiz and Manuelita had an affair.
Eventually, the pair reconciled, but Ortiz would still come around the house to see Manuelita and the kids, 3-year-old Charlie, 8-year-old Bernice and 9-year-old Patricia. He would visit while Charlie was at work, even though Manuelita discouraged the visits.
It was about 10 p.m. on December 21, 1978 when Charlie left for work. Soon after 8-year-old Bernice went into the kitchen to get Charlie a glass of water.
When she went for the water, she saw Ortiz with his hands around her mother’s throat. Bernice ran back to her room and woke up her sister, Patricia.
After the stabbing, Ortiz went into the children’s room and told them he was going to call an ambulance for their mother.
However, Ortiz poured gasoline on Manuelita and the bedroom doorways. He also placed a “delayed ignition device” under a pile of clothes at the foot of the baby’s bed.
Before leaving the house, he told the children not to leave until the fire department arrived.
However, the fire department never came, and Ortiz returned to the bedroom saying Manuelita wanted to see Patricia. When Patricia entered the living room, Ortiz grabbed her and stabbed her twice in the chest.
Patricia ran to her mother’s room and collapsed on the bed.
Hearing her sister’s screams, Bernice ran out and was also caught from behind and stabbed in the chest. Bernice managed to return to the bedroom where Charlie was playing
Ortiz ignited the gasoline in the home and left.
Bernice, smelling the smoke, helped her injured sister, Patricia, and brother, Charlie, get out of the house. She and Charlie struggled to get to a neighbor’s home. Patricia collapsed and nearly died on the sidewalk outside the home.
The cause of death for Manuelita was officially ruled a stabbing, however, the pathologist said it was possible that she was still alive when the fire started.
Ortiz was arrested the next day and while he was in jail awaiting trial, he offered $10,000 to hire another inmate to kill the children and the rest of the family.
On July 2, 1979, Ortiz was convicted of murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault and arson of an occupied structure.
Judge Ben Birdsell gave Ortiz the death penalty on the murder conviction. After nearly 20 years of appeals and court proceedings, Ortiz was executed on October 27, 1999.
