Erika Sandoval’s attorney claims self-defense in Exeter cop’s death

PORTERVILLE, Calif. (KGPE) – The trial of 38-year-old Erika Sandoval is nearing a close, with her attorneys resting their case in Tulare Superior Court on Monday. 

The District Attorney’s Office will have a final rebuttal on Wednesday before handing the case to 12 jurors. 

Sandoval testified she killed her ex-husband, Daniel Green, in 2015 in his Goshen home. He was an Exeter police officer. 

Defense Attorney Megan Casebeer told the jury that the case meets all the requirements for not guilty because she claims it was self-defense. 

“Erika never planned to kill Daniel Green, she hid in the closet out of fear,” said Casebeer. 

It’s been 10 years since Sandoval killed Green after breaking into his empty Goshen home. 

Now she is closer than ever to finding out her fate. 

Casebeer is hoping to convince the jury that even Sandoval didn’t plan Green’s death, but acted out of fear for her own safety, and out of concern for their shared son. 

“Erika was abused. Erika was worried about [their son], and Erika was scared,” said Casebeer to the jury.

Casebeer said on Feb. 6, 2015, Sandoval made a last-minute, rash decision to break into Green’s home, knowing he wouldn’t be there because he was at the gym

Once there, she testified she snooped around. 

Casebeer claims Sandoval was filled with rage over the mess of the home, the alcohol and vapes on the counter, and loaded guns not locked up in the safe. 

“When she finds the guns on the ground, she is furious,” said Casebeer. 

Sandoval grabs two guns, one off the fridge and the other from Green’s room. 

Casebeer then says a wave of anger washed over Sandoval when she found inappropriate photos in a guest room. Next, Sandoval testified that Green arrived home earlier than Sandoval expected, and she panicked. 

Casebeer told the jury Sandoval was scared of what Green would do since she had broken into the home without his authority, and was concerned for her safety. She played an audio recording of Green claiming that Green would lose his temper when angry.  

“He recorded this and saved it. Imagine what is was like when he was not recording,” said Casebeer. 

Those photos that Sandoval claims were in the house were never found, and Sandoval has changed her story about why she killed Green several times. 

Casebeer told the jury that if they can’t agree to not guilty due to self-defense, the highest conviction is of manslaughter. Under California law, the maximum sentence is 11 years. Sandoval has already served 10 years. 

Prosecutor David Alavezos will have one last time on Wednesday to convince the jury that Sandoval committed First Degree Murder with the special circumstance of lying in wait.

He painted Sandoval as a jealous ex-wife who planned Green’s death because of a social media photo Green had posted with his new girlfriend. She called him 160 times in the days leading up to his death, and confessed to law enforcement that she killed Green to have full custody of their two-year-old son. 

A sticky note with Green’s girlfriend’s name was found in Sandoval’s purse the day she was arrested.