Stabbing ‘victim’ faces murder charges in ex-girlfriend’s death

SAN JOSE >> Murder charges were filed Wednesday against a San Jose man accused of fatally stabbing the mother of his 7-year-old daughter with a kitchen knife and then trying to kill himself.

Luis Eduardo JaraReyna, 32, was still being treated Wednesday at an area hospital for multiple self-inflicted wounds and did not appear in court as scheduled to be arraigned.

But Santa Clara County prosecutor Kevin Smith filed charges against JaraReyna anyway, alleging that he killed 32-year-old Jasmin Vizairo-Ayala on Friday in her bedroom in the 2500 block of Story Road.

She was the ninth domestic violence fatality this year. The suspect had a history of abusing Vizairo-Ayala, his former girlfriend, according to the woman’s family and a court document prepared by San Jose police.

“We’re 11 days into domestic violence awareness month,” Smith said outside court after filing charges, “and I would much rather be standing here talking to you about ways that women and men who are victims can prevent their further victimization, can reach help, can find ways to safety and their friends can learn about the resources available for people.

“Instead, I’m standing here to talk about the murder of a mother, about a daughter who no longer has a mom and a family who is wondering why their child had this happen to her,” Smith said. “There are lot of resources in the community and we would urge that out of this death some people can find a way to reach safety and to gain access through all the wonderful groups that exist in our community,” including at least four 24-hour hotlines to nonprofit agencies and shelters.

They include Asian Women’s Home at 408975-2739; YWCA Silicon Valley at 800-572-2782; and Community Solutions at 877-363-7238.

Smith asked Judge Vanessa A. Zecher to either deny bail, as is recommended on the court’s bail schedule, or set bail at $10 million. The judge set it at $2.5 million.

According to a police statement of facts about the case filed with the court, video surveillance from a neighboring residence showed that a man who appears to be JaraReyna, wearing dark clothing, a dark cap and dark gloves, walked toward the victim’s house about 8 a.m. that day.

He apparently entered the home through a sliding glass door, Smith said.

Police were alerted to a disturbance by the victim’s father, who lived in the same home. When they arrived, they found the victim face down on her bed with multiple stab wounds, including a laceration to her neck. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The accused man was lying unconscious across the victim’s lower back.