Illegal immigrant pleads guilty to New Year’s Day manslaughter; gets 10 years

By Chris Dumond

Published: September 16, 2008

With three key witnesses missing, the case against an illegal immigrant charged in Lynchburg’s first homicide of the year wrapped up Monday morning with a last-minute plea agreement.

Adolfo Valentin-Morales, 29, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and agreed to a 10-year prison sentence.

Aberzai Lopez-Arellano was found dead, face down in a pool of blood on the 800 block of Pierce Street in the early hours of New Year’s Day, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Mike Pflieger said.

Pflieger told the court Monday that Lopez-Arellano, known better as “Cowboyâ€