Anthony Newton, a 45-year-old ex-convict, is currently facing charges for the gruesome murder of Ulisys “Cesar” Molina, whose mutilated and charred remains were found in a vacant lot near Las Vegas in 2017. Molina had been reported missing by his family members. The motive behind the murder is believed to be revenge, as Molina had fathered a child with Newton’s wife during Newton’s incarceration.
Newton, in collaboration with his brother-in-law and another woman, is alleged to have enticed Molina into the woman’s apartment around Christmas 2016, where they killed him due to the affair. The specifics of the crime were revealed in a Nevada court last week. Newton’s defense attorney, Pam Weckerly, confirmed that Molina’s family was aware of the affair.
In a disturbing development, nearly two years after the murder, a 5-year-old child found one of Molina’s severed hands in a mailbox. The circumstances leading to the hand being placed in the mailbox remain a mystery, as does any potential link between the mailbox’s owners and Molina. Molina’s head and other hand are still missing.
Weckerly stated in court, “We will not be able to answer for you how that hand ended up getting into that lady’s mailbox.” Newton is currently facing the possibility of the death penalty in a retrial. The original case was declared a mistrial in November when a co-defendant revealed Newton’s previous prison sentence to the jury. The crime that originally led to Newton’s imprisonment has not been revealed.
Newton’s wife, Jami Malaperdas, had an affair with Molina in 2015 while Newton was in prison. Malaperdas became pregnant as a result of the affair and later had an abortion, according to the defense. Newton’s trial is expected to last approximately three weeks.