OKC couple charged in ‘street justice’ killing, fled to Mexico, prosecutors say
A former Oklahoma City stripper and her boyfriend fled to Mexico together after the “street justice” killing of her half-brother, prosecutors say.
Della Marie Nichols, 30, had her boyfriend, Adrian Escajeda, 29, kill the halfbrother, Ulises Lopez, 21, because she believed he sexually assaulted a child, police said.
Both were charged Friday with first-degree murder.
Oklahoma County prosecutors say the pair fled to Mexico a few days after the victim’s death. Both are American citizens, according to prosecutors.
Lopez, of Oklahoma City, was found dead inside his home Dec. 5 with duct tape around his feet and head, police reported. The victim’s lower face and head was “completely wrapped in silver duct tape extremely tight,” according to a court affidavit.
Lopez also had a belt tightly wrapped around his neck and a plastic zip tie fastened around his left wrist. Prosecutors allege the victim died from being strangled, suffocated or both.
A few hours after the victim was found dead, Escajeda texted Nichols, saying, “I love you. I did this for you,” police reported.
Escajeda, of Oklahoma City, assaulted and killed Lopez at the request of Nichols because she believed Lopez sexually assaulted a young girl, police said.
“We were advised Della said she sent ... Escajeda to assault the man and do street justice,” police reported in the affidavit. A witness told police “the man” was Lopez.
Prosecutors haven’t determined if the sexual assault allegations are true.
On Dec. 6, police interviewed the couple and their stories were inconsistent with each other, a detective reported.
Police searched Escajeda’s cellphone on Dec. 8 and found the incriminating text message, according to the affidavit.
“I accept whatever is coming for me. They’re not going to care I committed a crime,” the text said. “Don’t forget that there was no one who did something big like this ... so you know that I really love you. ... I’m sorry I destroyed your Christmas again.”
On Nichols’ Facebook page, she posted multiple times in 2015 about dancing at La Nude, a strip club in Valley Brook.
“I have fun doing what I do,” she posted. “I’m proud of being a stripper.”