A man who forced his kids to open their Christmas presents in front of their mother's dead body is facing 15 years in prison.
William Wallace, 39, who hails from Anaheim in California, has been found guilty of second degree murder after killing his wife Za'Zell Preston, 26, in 2011.
Prosecutors said that the couple had attended a neighbor's Christmas Eve party the night before.
Later that evening, a neighbor testified that they had heard Wallace, who has previously served jail time for attacking Preston, arguing with his wife.
After beating her to death, he dragged her body from their bedroom to the living room couch, put sunglasses on her face.
Wallace then marched Preston's three-year-old and eight-year-old daughters from a previous relationship into the living room and told them: "Mommy ruined Christmas, she got drunk and ruined Christmas."
He then called 911 at approximately 9.30 AM on Christmas Day to report that Preston was in need of medical attention.
When Anaheim Police officers arrived at the scene they found the woman unresponsive and she was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Per People, in an official statement made on Wednesday, April 7, Orange County DA Todd Spitzer said: "A young mother finally losing her life after years of violence at the hands of her husband is a heart-wrenching tragedy.
"That heartbreak is only exacerbated by the fact that her children witnessed much of the violence and were forced to celebrate Christmas in the presence of their dead mother.
"That is not a Christmas memory any child should be forced to have."
He continued: "We all have an obligation to speak up against violence of any kind, especially domestic violence where the victims are so fiercely controlled by their abusers.
"The cycle of domestic violence is a vicious one and I want every victim of domestic violence to know that they are not alone. No one should have to live in fear of violence in their own home."
Wallace will be sentenced on June 4 for second degree murder.
According to the Orange County Register, Preston's relatives testified after Wallace's arrest that he was controlling and violent, and had threatened to kill his wife numerous times.
One stated that she had found a pregnant Preston laying in the fetal position in the street after Wallace had attacked her.
.jpg_JLeuio?tr=h-184)
