Key suspect in Seattle tourist's murder sentenced

One of the key players in the murder of a Seattle tourist four years ago has been sentenced. Charles Beltran of Mesquite is headed to prison for six years.

He is the man who met and picked-up Marisela Botello Valadez in Deep Ellum and took her to Mesquite. It was after a night of sex that Beltran said he woke up to find on-and-off girlfriend Lisa Dykes killing the Seattle woman.

"I saw the movement in the bed and that's when I woke up and saw Lisa on top of her," Beltran testified during Dykes trial.

"She's with a knife coming down like this. And once I noticed the knife that's when I pushed Lisa off of her."

Valadez's body was dumped in a rural area of Wilmer and not found for months.  Dykes and her wife, Nina Marano, fled to Florida.  The two were arrested and bonded out of jail, only to flee to Cambodia.  They were ultimately tracked down.

Dykes was convicted of murder and tampering with a corpse.  She is serving a life prison term for the murder and another 20 years for the tampering charge

Beltran pleaded guilty to tampering with a corpse. Charges against Morano were later dropped.

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