California Sister Who Murdered Teen Mom and 3-Week-Old Baby in ‘Sibling Rivalry’ Plot Sentenced to Life in Prison

FRESNO, CALIFORNIA — A 24-year-old California woman will spend the rest of her life behind bars after murdering her teenage sister and newborn niece in what police called a “jealousy-driven sibling rivalry” that stunned even veteran officers.

Yarelly Solorio-Rivera was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the execution-style murders of her 18-year-old sister, Yanelly Solorio-Rivera, and Yanelly’s 3-week-old baby, Celine, prosecutors announced.

Her boyfriend, 28-year-old Martin Arroyo-Morales, received nearly 20 years in prison for his role in helping plan and cover up the crime.

Sister Turned Killer in Cold-Blooded Attack

The murders occurred in September 2022 inside the sisters’ shared home near Fruit and Jensen Avenues in Fresno. According to police, Yarelly shot Yanelly and her baby while they slept, using a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun.

Both victims were struck in the upper body, and investigators said the attack was premeditated and rooted in jealousy.

Former Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama, who later became chief in Oklahoma City, described the crime as one of the most disturbing cases he had ever seen:

“We see a lot of violence in Fresno — gangs, risky behavior, street shootings — but you don’t expect it from your own sister. And you certainly don’t expect it against a 3-week-old child.”

Confession Revealed: ‘Did You Mean to Shoot Her in the Face?’ — ‘Yeah.’

During a May 2023 court hearing, prosecutors played Solorio-Rivera’s videotaped confession for the judge. In the video, she demonstrated how she pointed the gun before firing.

Detective: “Can you show me how you were pointing it?”
Solorio-Rivera: “Like this… probably like that.”
Detective: “Did you mean to shoot her in the face?”
Solorio-Rivera: “Yeah.”

Detectives testified that the sisters had been fighting frequently in the weeks before the murder. Police had even previously seized a firearm from Yarelly after an earlier domestic disturbance call.

Investigators said jealousy over Yanelly’s new baby — and the attention she received — drove the older sister into a murderous rage.

‘We Have the Murder Weapon and a Motive: Jealousy’

After the killings, Arroyo-Morales and Solorio-Rivera initially denied involvement but later confessed during separate interrogations.

Arroyo-Morales admitted he was present during the shootings and that Solorio-Rivera handed him the gun afterward. Police later recovered the murder weapon, confirming the 9mm handgun was used in both killings.

“We have the murder weapon — and we have a motive: jealousy and sibling rivalry,” said Chief Balderrama during a press conference following the arrests.

Both were charged with two counts of murder, with enhancements for firearm use and multiple homicides.

Death Penalty Dropped in Favor of Life Sentence

Prosecutors initially sought the death penalty, but California’s ongoing moratorium on executions led to a plea agreement resulting in life without parole for Solorio-Rivera and a lengthy prison term for Arroyo-Morales.

Judge Brian Alvarez of Fresno County Superior Court imposed the sentences during a somber Wednesday hearing where neither defendant spoke.

“There was no remorse, no guilt, no hesitation,” investigators said of Solorio-Rivera’s demeanor after the murders.

The brutal case — a mix of family betrayal and cold-blooded calculation — has left the Fresno community reeling.

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