Nov. 6, 2024

45-Domestic Violence MURDERED: Caitlynne Guajardo

45-Domestic Violence MURDERED: Caitlynne Guajardo
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Season 2

Can a legal system designed to protect actually put lives at risk? Join me as I unravel the tragic story of Caitlynne, a young woman whose life was cut short by her husband, Alex Daniel Guajardo, despite his known history of domestic violence. Through the lens of bail reform, I examine how the presumption of innocence, while crucial, can sometimes clash with public safety, particularly when violent offenders are released on personal recognizance bonds. Caitlynne's heart-wrenching story serves as a chilling reminder of these systemic flaws, and her mother Melanie Infinger's advocacy for Caitlynne's Law calls for critical tightening of bail conditions for those with violent pasts.

In a profound journey of grief turned into advocacy, Melanie shares her mission to prevent other mothers from experiencing the same overwhelming loss. Her resilience is both heartbreaking and inspiring, as she channels her sorrow into strength, hoping to enact real change. 

Sources:
https://www.fox26houston.com/news/pasadena-man-sentenced-two-life-sentences-plus-10-years-fatally-stabbing-pregnant-wife
https://www.harriscountyda.com/pasadena_man_sentenced_to_two_life_sentences_plus_10_years_for_fatally_stabbing_pregnant_wife
https://x.com/KHOU/status/1848844026687934526
http://www.caitlynneslaw.org/
https://www.khou.com/article/news/crime/caitlynne-guajardo-killer-sentenced/285-2b944b42-cd71-47b4-84c0-bb5633d7d2c5
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2024/10/22/pasadena-man-who-killed-his-pregnant-wife-sentenced-to-2-life-terms/
https://www.khou.com/article/news/crime/caitlynnes-law-texas-bill-harris-county-bond/285-8b18871d-78b7-446e-a534-c761dc2b33b4
https://austin-criminallawyer.com/travis-county/jail/release/what-is-a-pr-bond/#:~:text=Bond%20in%20Texas,counties%20do%20not%20offer%20it.
https://advancingpretrial.org/pretrial-justice/the-pretrial-status-quo/what-is-bail-reform/#reform-act

1 in 3 is intended for mature audiences. Episodes contain explicit content and may be triggering to some.

Support the show

If you are in the United States and need help right now, call the national domestic violence hotline at 800-799-7233 or text the word “start” to 88788.

Contact 1 in 3:

Thank you for listening and please remember to rate, review & subscribe!

Cover art by Laura Swift Dahlke
Music by Tim Crowe

Chapters

00:00 - Bail Reform and Domestic Violence Tragedy

08:11 - Healing Through Advocacy

Transcript
WEBVTT

00:00:00.161 --> 00:00:02.126
Hi Warriors, welcome to One in Three.

00:00:02.126 --> 00:00:03.290
I'm your host, ingrid.

00:00:03.290 --> 00:00:12.614
During my interview with bail attorney Ken Good in episode 34, we briefly discussed a case involving the untoward results of bail reform.

00:00:12.614 --> 00:00:46.158
Today I delve further into the details of that want to recap some of the information Ken and I discussed back in March.

00:00:47.021 --> 00:00:52.313
The United States Constitution strongly maintains innocence until proven guilty.

00:00:52.313 --> 00:00:57.631
The goal is therefore to allow freedom to offenders while awaiting trial.

00:00:57.631 --> 00:01:02.712
Of course, in certain circumstances that would be negligent at best.

00:01:02.712 --> 00:01:07.542
That would be negligent at best.

00:01:07.542 --> 00:01:12.275
Therefore, judges are allowed to impose certain conditions to ensure the offender remains behind bars or, if released, returns to court.

00:01:12.275 --> 00:01:21.331
These conditions may include monetary assurance, known as bonds, supervision or location surveillance.

00:01:21.331 --> 00:01:29.286
Bail is a process of releasing offenders while awaiting trial using any of those conditions I just mentioned.

00:01:29.286 --> 00:01:35.984
Most people, however, understand bail to be synonymous with just monetary bonds.

00:01:35.984 --> 00:01:43.626
Anyway, bail reform was introduced with the thought that cash bail release can be discriminatory.

00:01:43.626 --> 00:01:50.629
If an offender is of lower socioeconomic status, they would not be able to meet the monetary bond amount.

00:01:50.629 --> 00:02:02.426
If you want to get further details regarding this topic, I'm going to refer you back to Ken's episode, because he obviously does a much better job explaining it than me.

00:02:03.388 --> 00:02:05.210
So now on to Caitlin.

00:02:05.210 --> 00:02:12.252
She was married to Alex Daniel Guajardo, and shared one child with him in their Pasadena Texas home.

00:02:12.252 --> 00:02:15.763
She was 17 weeks pregnant with their second.

00:02:15.763 --> 00:02:20.432
The family was looking forward to finding out the gender of the new baby.

00:02:20.432 --> 00:02:25.514
Life behind closed doors was not a happy one for the couple, though.

00:02:25.514 --> 00:02:30.049
Alex had been known to beat his wife, melanie Infinger.

00:02:30.049 --> 00:02:35.002
Caitlin's mother had pleaded with her daughter to report the abuse to the police.

00:02:36.365 --> 00:02:56.520
With one DWI driving while intoxicated offense already under his belt already under his belt, alex was arrested again in May 2019 for yet another DWI, as well as a hit and run, when, in front of the judge, he was released on a personal recognizance or PR bond.

00:02:56.520 --> 00:03:03.133
A PR bond is more or less a promise and falls into that bail reform I was just talking about.

00:03:03.133 --> 00:03:11.913
Once a court verifies the offender's information, such as legal residence and occupation, they may be considered for a PR bond.

00:03:11.913 --> 00:03:20.784
This offers an opportunity for the individual to provide their signature promising to return to court on their scheduled date to face their charges.

00:03:20.784 --> 00:03:26.004
They are then released with a $0 or small administrative fee.

00:03:26.004 --> 00:03:29.905
I want you to pay particular attention to this next part.

00:03:29.905 --> 00:03:43.953
The judge is also to take prior offenses, degree of crime charged with, either violent or non-violent, and flight risk into consideration prior to granting a PR bond.

00:03:43.953 --> 00:03:51.588
As Alex's DWI charges were minimal, it seemed to be a fair determination to release him.

00:03:52.754 --> 00:03:55.425
Alex didn't maintain good behavior, however.

00:03:55.425 --> 00:04:01.268
In fact, it wasn't long after his DWI charge that he was arrested again.

00:04:01.268 --> 00:04:06.667
This time, his offense was for something that held a little more weight.

00:04:06.667 --> 00:04:13.016
He had brutally beaten his pregnant wife, which included punching her in the face.

00:04:13.016 --> 00:04:17.244
He had also tortured and killed her cat.

00:04:17.244 --> 00:04:26.425
Finally, conceding to her mom's wishes, caitlin called the police, filed a report and had her husband arrested.

00:04:27.166 --> 00:04:33.281
Melanie begged her daughter to pack necessities and bring her eight-month-old daughter along to stay at her home.

00:04:33.281 --> 00:04:40.403
Despite the arrest of her son-in-law, melanie remained concerned for her daughter and granddaughter's safety.

00:04:40.403 --> 00:04:43.495
Caitlin wasn't phased, though.

00:04:43.495 --> 00:04:46.879
She knew the legal system was supposed to help victims.

00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:48.519
She believed she was safe.

00:04:48.519 --> 00:04:49.781
The legal system was supposed to help victims.

00:04:49.781 --> 00:04:51.202
She believed she was safe, and why wouldn't she?

00:04:51.202 --> 00:04:58.771
This man would be presented to a judge with a pending felony and three misdemeanor charges.

00:04:58.771 --> 00:05:18.139
Surely he wouldn't be leaving the jail anytime soon.

00:05:18.139 --> 00:05:18.579
But Caitlin was wrong.

00:05:18.600 --> 00:05:21.509
On August 3rd 2019, alex was released on another PR bond, just 17 hours after his arrest.

00:05:21.509 --> 00:05:29.365
Now, what do you think this man with a prior history of domestic violence and utter disregard for human or animal life would want to do as soon as he was free?

00:05:29.365 --> 00:05:36.023
Your gut is probably telling you something you hope isn't true.

00:05:36.023 --> 00:05:42.677
Well, alex immediately returned to the home he shared with his 20 year old wife and daughter.

00:05:42.677 --> 00:05:54.939
He did not want someone else to have the opportunity to raise his unborn child and he certainly couldn't let Caitlin's disrespect to him go unpunished.

00:05:54.939 --> 00:06:05.141
He stabbed Caitlin 20 times deliberately in her stomach, assuring the murder of both his wife and his baby.

00:06:05.141 --> 00:06:10.166
Following this arrest, he was not released on bond.

00:06:11.649 --> 00:06:17.882
Within two months of being in jail, alex was found with two shanks or makeshift knives.

00:06:17.882 --> 00:06:21.776
One was in his sock and one was in his cell.

00:06:21.776 --> 00:06:27.829
Possession of a lethal weapon in a penal institution is a third-degree felony.

00:06:27.829 --> 00:06:35.019
Penal institution is a third-degree felony.

00:06:35.019 --> 00:06:38.790
Alex decided to accept a plea deal and pleaded guilty to two counts of murder in exchange for the possibility of parole.

00:06:38.790 --> 00:06:41.976
His sentencing actually was just a few weeks ago.

00:06:41.976 --> 00:06:51.310
He was given two life sentences for murder and 10 years for possession of the shanks, all to be served concurrently.

00:06:51.310 --> 00:06:55.339
He will be eligible for parole after 30 years.

00:06:56.622 --> 00:07:03.040
I hate presenting yet another tragic ending with disappointing legal actions.

00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:06.791
But I wanted to highlight the warrior that emerged.

00:07:06.791 --> 00:07:13.247
Melanie Infinger refuses to let the murder of her daughter and unborn grandchild be in vain.

00:07:13.247 --> 00:07:26.571
She is working with Pasadena Police Chief, paul Brugger, and President of the Houston Police Officers Union, Joe Gamaldi, to get Caitlin's Law passed into Texas legislature.

00:07:26.571 --> 00:07:32.086
Texas Senator Paul Betancourt is a sponsor of Caitlin's Law.

00:07:32.086 --> 00:07:47.269
Caitlin's Law would require judges to stop issuing PR bonds to suspects who already had one and set a minimum bond of $10,000 for anyone who's had three or more felony charges.

00:07:48.456 --> 00:07:52.927
Why would Melanie take this on while trying to heal from her personal tragedy?

00:07:52.927 --> 00:08:06.245
In her words, quote In a million years I never expected to be getting involved in something like this, but I can't rest knowing I didn't at least try to help.

00:08:06.245 --> 00:08:13.660
If I can save mothers from this debilitating grief, it will be worth the long fight ahead.

00:08:13.660 --> 00:08:15.380
End quote.

00:08:15.380 --> 00:08:19.925
Endure a nightmare from which we can never awaken ever since the system failed.

00:08:19.925 --> 00:08:32.837
Caitlin and her unborn baby.

00:08:32.837 --> 00:08:34.520
End quote.

00:08:34.520 --> 00:08:36.524
Thank you for listening.

00:08:36.524 --> 00:08:39.674
Sources for today can be found in the show notes.

00:08:39.674 --> 00:08:42.836
I will be back with another episode for you.

00:08:42.836 --> 00:08:52.623
Until then, stay strong and wherever you are in your journey, always remember you are not alone.

00:08:52.623 --> 00:08:56.264
Follow 1 in 3 on Instagram, facebook and Twitter at 1in3podcast.

00:08:56.264 --> 00:09:14.145
To help me out, please remember to rate, review and subscribe.

00:09:14.145 --> 00:09:20.216
1 in 3 is a .5 Pinoy production Music written and performed by Tim Crow.

00:09:20.216 --> 00:09:33.585
© transcript Emily Beynon.