Killer Ruined His Own Life: Victim's Mom

It is a nightmare that Dayna Herroz must live with the rest of her life.

In July 2006, Dayna's 22 year old daughter Tori Vienneau and Tori's son Dean, were found strangled inside their Southcrest apartment.

Dean was hung by his neck in his crib with a cord on the same day that he turned ten months old.

"You wake up every morning and know that your family has been murdered," Herroz said.

After 18 months San Diego Police homicide detectives finally had enough evidence to arrest Vienneau's ex-boyfriend and father of her son, Bonita resident Dennis Potts.

Prosecutors said Potts killed Vienneau and son because he didn't want to pay child support.  He even used a friend's DNA to fake a paternity test.

"He thought he could get away with this, and he ruined his own life," Herroz said.

Herroz agreed to participate in a special "Dateline" on the crime because she wants to raise awareness about domestic violence.

Potts is now serving two life sentences in prison and Herroz said the judge granted her an unusual request.

In his prison cell, there is a large picture of the bodies of Vienneau and Dean in their casket on the day they were buried together.

"I want him to live with it everyday,"Dayna said.  "It's laminated, so he can't cut it up, he can't draw on it."

The case is now being featured this Friday night on NBC's "Dateline."

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