ST. LUCIE COUNTY \u2014 A man arrested in connection with the August death of a 23-year-old woman and her unborn child \u201cmaintains his\u2026<\/b>
\nST. LUCIE COUNTY \u2014 A man arrested in connection with the August death of a 23-year-old woman and her unborn child \u201cmaintains his innocence,\u201d the man\u2019s lawyer said.
Jose Soto-Escalera, now 42, was arrested Sept. 21 after St. Lucie County Sheriff\u2019s Office investigators said they linked him to the death of Tania Wise and her unborn child.
Wise\u2019s body was found Aug. 24 in a ditch along Russo Road near Johnston Road in northwestern St. Lucie County.
More: Tania Wise murder case: Blackmail, abortion and ‘ghost gun’ referenced in St. Lucie arrest report
\u201cThere are some other people that this gal was involved with,\u201d said Leonard Villafranco, Soto-Escalera\u2019s attorney. \u201cHer circle of friends, not a lot of very nice people, and there are some other people that could be looked at for this crime.\u201d
Soto-Escalera, of Port St. Lucie, faces charges of second-degree murder with a weapon and second-degree murder of an unborn child. Second-degree indicates an unplanned killing.
Villafranco said at a recent court hearing bond was denied for Soto-Escalera. Another court date is scheduled in December.
More: St. Lucie County landfill searched in Tania Wise homicide ‘to look for any evidence,’ sheriff says
Villafranco said others have \u201cjust as much motive and opportunity as my guy, and they weren\u2019t investigated enough.»
\u201cMy client maintains his innocence,\u201d Villafranco said. \u201cHe wants to prove it, and I believe we\u2019ll be able to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt in court, mostly because there\u2019s other people that very well could have done this.\u201d
A 22-page arrest affidavit portrays a complex sheriff\u2019s investigation involving a variety of witnesses and avenues of inquiry. Many portions are redacted.
Witnesses told St. Lucie County sheriff\u2019s investigators that Soto-Escalera wanted to buy a gun that couldn\u2019t be traced.
More: Human body found in ditch alongside Russo Road in St. Lucie County
A witness also reported that Soto-Escalera confided that Wise was \u201cblackmailing\u201d Soto-Escalera over Wise\u2019s pregnancy with Soto-Escalera\u2019s child.
Investigators on at least two occasions interviewed Soto-Escalera, who said he\u2019d worked with one of Wise\u2019s former boyfriends. He denied having sex with Wise and gave a DNA sample. However, DNA from the unborn child showed Soto-Escalera was the father, records show.
One witness said she\u2019s known Wise for about 3\u00bd years. She said Wise indicated she was pregnant \u201cand there were a couple of guys it was between,\u201d records show.
St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara has said Soto-Escalera is married and his wife was unaware of Wise and the unborn child.
More: Pregnant woman found dead in St. Lucie ‘always happy and positive,’ friend says
Villafranco said he didn\u2019t think Soto-Escalera had a motive to kill Wise, and that Soto-Escalera is a great father and loves his children.
\u201cHe has kids out of wedlock, which makes the motive even a little odd,\u201d Villafranco said. \u201cMy client\u2019s position is, \u2018Hey I love kids, what\u2019s another kid? I love them.\u2019\u201d
A witness said Wise told her Wise was supposed to meet with Soto-Escalera the night of Aug. 23, the day before Wise was found dead, records show.
More: Father of pregnant Port St. Lucie woman’s child arrested in their deaths
Investigators reported video surveillance from Wise\u2019s neighborhood showed a truck similar to Soto-Escalera\u2019s on Wise\u2019s street at 8:26 p.m. Soto-Escalera talked to Wise via cellphone 1 minute earlier, records show.
Cellphone information showed Soto-Escalera at 9:55 p.m. called his wife on his cellphone from the area of Indrio, Johnston and Russo roads \u2014 near where Wise was found dead, records show.<\/p>\n