Torres appealing murder conviction

BENTONVILLE — Mauricio Torres’ murder case is headed to the Arkansas Supreme Court for a third time.

Torres, 53, of Bella Vista was sentenced last month to life imprisonment without the benefit of parole for killing his 6-year-old son, Maurice Isaiah Torres.

A jury found Torres guilty of capital murder and battery. He was sentenced to life in prison for the murder and 20 years in prison for the battery.

Jeff Rosenzweig, one of Torres’ attorneys, filed a motion Monday saying Torres plans to appeal his conviction.

Benton County Prosecuting Attorney Nathan Smith said it is common for convicted murderers to appeal their convictions.

“I am very confident the conviction will be affirmed,” Smith said. “After having been convicted by 36 jurors in Benton County over three trials, it is time for this defendant to pay for the despicable crimes he committed against his son.”

Isaiah died March 30, 2015, from an infection caused when a stick was shoved in his rectum. A medical examiner listed chronic child abuse as a factor in Isaiah’s death.

Torres said in a 2015 police interview he put the stick in his son’s rectum but later testified his son was holding the stick while doing squats. Torres said Isaiah fell on the stick, and it went inside his rectum.

Jurors saw photographs of bruises and wounds covering Isaiah’s body. His teeth were pulled out with pliers, and he was forced at times to sleep in a cage, according to evidence presented at trial.

Torres admitted he physically abused his son but claimed his wife was responsible for most of the abuse delivered to Isaiah.

Cathy Torres, 51, pleaded guilty in 2017 to capital murder and battery. She was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Mauricio Torres was tried, convicted and sentenced to death in 2016 in his son’s murder, but the state Supreme Court overturned the conviction in 2019 and ordered Torres receive a new trial.

A second jury found Torres guilty of murder and battery. The proceedings ended during the sentencing phase March 5, 2020, when a witness jumped from the witness stand box and attempted to attack Torres.

Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren declared a mistrial and ruled Torres should have another trial. The Arkansas attorney general’s office appealed, but the Arkansas Supreme Court agreed with Karren.

Torres is being held in the area for new commitments at the Ouachita River Correctional Unit in Malvern.

Torres