The whole Ramirez family was gathered at the Hacienda Heights house when the verdict reached them.
Daniel called to tell them. Ruth picked up the phone. The lawyer said one word, “Muerte” (death). Ruth told him to hold on. With tears filling her big brown eyes, she turned to her father and repeated, “Muerte.”
Julian Tapia got up and went to the bedroom to tell Mercedes. She was kneeling in front of her white candle. She took one look at her husband’s face and knew the State of California would be killing her last-born.
“It should be Satan who is to die, not Richie,” she said and began to cry. Julian held her, small and fragile, in his powerful arms and her tears ran down his chest, over his broken heart.