Las Vegas, NV: The parents of a 3-year-old who disappeared in 2018 were finally sentenced last week for the child’s murder - justice served.
The soulless parents, Ricky Beasley and Lakeia Walker, 34 and 35, respectively, went before the court in Clark County, Nevada, almost ten years after their daughter, Zaelea Walker, who was three at the time, was murdered.
It was reported that the parents confessed to murdering the toddler and attempted to cover up the crime and hid the body. Beasly admitted to becoming enraged at the little girl after she accidentally wet herself and threw her aggressively against the wall, leading to severe injuries.
Investigators believe the girl ultimately succumbed to her injuries related to blunt trauma.
DA Mark DiGiacomo of Clark County told the court, "There is no doubt that this child suffered for hours without medical treatment.”
He added, "These two sociopaths deserve the ultimate possible punishment. I just didn't have that evidence. I had evidence that certainly Mr. Beasley was guilty of murder and certainly Ms. Walker was guilty of accessory after the fact, but their conduct suggests that they should do every possible day in prison."
Late last spring, Walker pleaded guilty to “accessory to commit murder” and second-degree murder of Zaela’s death.
Last week, both defendants learned of their fates. Walker, who has been in prison for the last seven years and earned credit for it, received a 10 - 25 year prison sentence. However, Walker only received probation for her role in the murder after her sentence of 2 - 5 years was suspended and will only be served if she violates probation. The terms include not having contact with Beasley.
The 2018 Murder
After Zaela vanished in 2018, Beasley and Walker repeatedly claimed she was staying with relatives, maintaining that story for months. The account unraveled when Beasley's own mother told investigators she had last seen Zaela in Beasley's care.
According to her statement, Beasley became uncontrollably furious after the child had an accident and wet herself, prompting investigators to take a closer look at the case.
Investigators reported that the grandmother told them she “heard a loud thud and then saw Beasley clutching Zaela in his arms as she was crying.” An enraged Beasley then hurled the little girl into the wall in a fit of frustration. He followed up by googling “how to stop seizures in young children”, local media said.
The mother, Lakeia, later failed a lie detection test as part of the investigation. She did, however, provide information to authorities that "the trunk of a vehicle reeked, like rotten meat," while Beasley drove the vehicle around.
According to documents, "She and Ricky cleaned the trunk by vacuuming and using lemon-scented ammonia to rid the trunk of the stench.”
The judge overseeing the case, District Chief Judge Tierra Jones, expressed disappointment and frustration at the defendants.
"I don't know what happened to the poor child, but I will say this: I believe that both of you know, and I think that is going to be one of the harshest things that's ever going to happen to either one of you, because I couldn't fathom what it would be like to have to live with that for the rest of my life," Judge Jones said.
Beasley told the court that he was remorseful and took responsibility for his actions towards his own daughter and “for loving Zae so much that her absence echoes louder than every untrue thing that's been said about me."
Beasley’s lawyer simply described the heartless murder as a terrible mistake that grew out of control.
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Writer and author Eddie Molina has over 25 years of combined LEO and military service. Learn more about his interview articles at www.eddiemolina.com.
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