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Pinellas murder suspect had prior domestic violence arrest
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Published: October 26, 2009
Fourteen months before he was charged in the death of his 5-week-old son, Jose Ruiz-Lopez was charged with punching the child's mother in the face, but she decided against prosecuting, according to court documents.
Ruiz-Lopez, a Mexican-born unemployed asbestos worker, was arrested Saturday and charged with second-degree murder in the death of his 5-week-old son, Anthony Ruiz-Portal, Clearwater police said.
The night before, Ruiz-Lopez, 25, and the infant's mother, Veronica Portal, 23, were involved in a domestic dispute at their apartment at 304 S. Corona Ave., Clearwater police said. Ruiz-Lopez battered her and held her against her will, but she was able to escape. While she was gone, however, Ruiz-Lopez shook his infant son and hit his head on a tile floor. The child died.
On Aug. 15, 2008, Ruiz-Lopez was accused of punching Veronica Portal on the left side of her face, causing her face to swell, at a different Clearwater address, court records show. Ruiz-Lopez was charged with domestic battery, but less than a week after the assault, Portal filed paperwork saying she didn't wish to prosecute, and that she wanted to resume having contact with him, court documents say. She also said she was not in fear of him, the documents say.
The Pinellas-Pasco State Attorneys' Office chose not to pursue the domestic battery charge.
At the time of the incident last year, Ruiz-Lopez and Portal had a child that is now about 2 years old, said Elizabeth Watts, Clearwater's public safety spokeswoman. That child was asleep in the apartment while the younger sibling was being shaken by Ruiz-Lopez this past weekend, Watts said. The 2-year-old is now with his mother, Watts said.
Ruiz-Lopez was also charged with aggravated battery in 2004 after he struck a man in the back of the head with a crowbar as the man was walking away from an argument he and Ruiz-Lopez had had, court records show.
Ruiz-Lopez eventually pleaded no contest to felony battery, a lesser charge, and was sentenced to three years probation. That probation term ended March 16, 2007.
Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336.
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