Key Points Summary – Woman Captured Own Murder
- Laura Sardinha, 25, recorded her own murder during a call
- Boyfriend Craig Charron broke in and stabbed her to death
- The voicemail captured Sardinha’s screams and pleas for help
- Prosecutors said the couple’s relationship was abusive
- Charron claimed self-defense but evidence showed otherwise
- Sardinha had given Charron $100,000 from accident settlement
- Charron now faces life in prison after being convicted
Laura Sardinha unknowingly left a vital piece of evidence before her brutal death. The 25-year-old California woman captured her own murder on a voicemail. This chilling recording later helped convict her abusive boyfriend, Craig Charron, five years later.
The horrifying incident happened on September 2, 2020. Sardinha had just changed the locks to keep Charron out of her Huntington Beach apartment. That effort, however, failed to stop him.
On the afternoon of the attack, Sardinha was on a three-way call with her best friend and mother. When Charron suddenly broke in, she cried, “Oh my God, he’s here.”
Voicemail Recorded Every Terrifying Moment
Her friend immediately hung up and dialed 911. Sardinha tried calling back but reached voicemail. That message ended up recording the most tragic moments of her life.
On the recording, Sardinha could be heard begging for her life. “He’s gonna kill me!” and “Get away from me!” echoed through the phone.
Deputy District Attorney Janine Madera told the jury, “You hear a woman narrating her own murder.”
Brutal Details Revealed in Court
According to prosecutors, Charron stabbed Sardinha twice in the chest. He then nearly severed her nose and stabbed her in the head so hard that the knife bent.
When police arrived, Sardinha was already dead. Charron was bleeding from his chest and neck. Prosecutors argued those wounds were self-inflicted to support his self-defense claim.
However, the chilling voicemail, paired with other evidence, told a different story. Prosecutors said the recording captured not just Sardinha’s terror but also Charron’s eerie silence as he enjoyed the brutal killing.
History of Abuse and Control Uncovered
Investigators painted a disturbing picture of Charron’s relationship with Sardinha. Despite her fear, she had previously given him $100,000 from a settlement after a motorcycle accident.
In text messages, Charron gloated, saying, “Thank you for showing me that you are all mine.”
Sardinha had become physically vulnerable after her accident. She struggled to even cut lemons, yet she faced ongoing abuse.
Recordings Showed Pattern of Violence
In the weeks before her death, Sardinha secretly recorded several conversations. These tapes revealed the toxic nature of their relationship.
One morning, Charron woke her demanding oral sex. Sardinha begged him to leave. “You terrify me because you won’t leave,” she pleaded.
Two weeks before the murder, another recording caught her saying, “You keep hitting me.” Charron coldly replied, “Massage my calves or end this relationship.”
Self-Defense Claim Rejected by Jury
Charron, an Air Force veteran, claimed that Sardinha attacked him first. Yet the evidence strongly contradicted his version of events.
Sardinha’s physical condition, the size difference between them, and the voicemail convinced jurors otherwise.
“He towered over her,” Madera reminded the jury. Sardinha stood little chance of defending herself.
Charron Faces Life Behind Bars
Charron was found guilty of murder on Tuesday. He is set to be sentenced on July 25.
Prosecutors expect he will face life in prison. Sardinha’s final words, captured forever on voicemail, ensured her killer could not escape justice.
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