Jose Raya Gets Life Plus 25 Years

Jose RayaOn July 18, 2010, Jose Luis Raya, then 44 years old, shot his wife to death in front of the couple’s two young children.

On Thursday, he received a sentence of life plus 25 years for his crime, according to St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken J. Mascara.

“Mr. Raya killed his 36-year-old wife, Maria Yolanda Aguilar, at their home at 2815 South 27th Street,” Sheriff Mascara said. “After he shot his wife to death with his shotgun, he tried to kill himself with the same weapon. This was a terrible crime, and the sentence was entirely appropriate.”

Circuit Judge Dan L. Vaughn sentenced Raya to life plus 25 years Thursday. Raya had pleaded no contest to second-degree murder with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

It was Raya’s second homicide. He was arrested in 1986 after he shot a man to death at a bar in Indiantown in Martin County. In that case, he eventually pleaded no contest to attempted manslaughter and served a one-year jail term.

Raya murdered his wife following a two-day argument. Their son and daughter, both less than 10 years old, were home at the time.

Source: St. Lucie County Police