Two weeks ago, Guadalupe Gutierrez discovered that she was pregnant with her second child. She and her husband were elated. They had only decided to expand their family a few months ago and couldn't believe their wish had been granted so quickly.
Now she must look toward this future without her husband.
On Tuesday, a boulder thrown from a Los Angeles-area overpass smashed through the window of Gutierrez's car and killed her husband.
Investigators have not identified the person who they say pushed the rock off the overpass. On Thursday, Gutierrez, 21, tearfully begged the public to come forward with information about the killing of her husband, 23-year-old Christopher Lopez, who was eager to be a father for a second time.
"He was so excited. My daughter was so excited to be a big sister,"she told reporters. "Now he's gone. We're asking for your help. If anybody saw anything, please help us find whoever did this."
Gutierrez had been driving along the 134 Freeway in Pasadena about 9 p.m. Tuesday with Lopez, who was sitting in the passenger seat. Gutierrez's mother and her 4-year-old daughter were in the car as well. As Gutierrez's white Toyota Corolla approached an overpass at Orange Grove Boulevard, the 35-pound boulder came crashing through the windshield and struck Lopez in the chest, according to a California Highway Patrol incident report.
Gutierrez lost control of the car, which swerved across traffic lanes, but she then regained control and raced toward Glendale Adventist Medical Center. Lopez was pronounced dead at the hospital, the report said.
"This was an intentional act," Lt. Chuck Geletko of the California Highway Patrol told the Los Angeles Times. "We need help from the public to find the person who committed this atrocious act."
"Because of a careless person or persons, [the family's] lives will forever be changed," he added.
It's unclear where the boulder came from - but officers say they are certain it came down from the overpass.
California Highway Patrol officer Chris Cassidy told the Pasadena Star News that officials are examining footage from nearby cameras and have visited a homeless encampment in the area to speak with potential witnesses.
A California Highway Patrol official told The Washington Post that no arrests had been made as of Friday afternoon. Gutierrez could not be immediately reached for comment.
"This shouldn't have happened this way," Lopez's father, Francisco Lopez, told the Pasadena Star News. "He's a young father who was just with his family."
"To find his death this way is something very hard for the family," he added. "This can't stay this way."
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Now she must look toward this future without her husband.
On Tuesday, a boulder thrown from a Los Angeles-area overpass smashed through the window of Gutierrez's car and killed her husband.
"He was so excited. My daughter was so excited to be a big sister,"she told reporters. "Now he's gone. We're asking for your help. If anybody saw anything, please help us find whoever did this."
Christopher Lopez was killed as the boulder smashed though the car window
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"This was an intentional act," Lt. Chuck Geletko of the California Highway Patrol told the Los Angeles Times. "We need help from the public to find the person who committed this atrocious act."
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It's unclear where the boulder came from - but officers say they are certain it came down from the overpass.
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A California Highway Patrol official told The Washington Post that no arrests had been made as of Friday afternoon. Gutierrez could not be immediately reached for comment.
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"To find his death this way is something very hard for the family," he added. "This can't stay this way."
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