Four months after the naked body of a San Carlos woman was found in her apartment, the victim's wife was ordered to stand trial on murder charges.
Tiffany Nowden, 39, will stand trial for the death of her wife, Russina Vale.
Vale, 38, was found dead on June 5 inside an apartment unit at the Villa De Flores complex in the 7700 block of Mission Gorge Road.
Vale was found naked and dead in her bed on the day of her murder, prosecutors said. She had suffered two stab wounds, one to the stomach and the other to the upper right arm and chest, which proved fatal.
Nowden’s aunt Zanetta Moloi of San Bernardino testified Thursday at a pre-trial hearing that she was asked to pick up the defendant in San Diego because she was in trouble. She said Nowden looked stressed when she picked her up in San Diego.
Moloi said her niece called an attorney but decided not to meet with him. After showering, Nowden left her aunt’s home without saying where she was going.
Moloi said she didn’t learn about what had happened to Vale until several days later.
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Nearly 20 days after Vale's body was found, San Diego Police arrested Nowden at a home on Market Street in Sherman Heights.
Before her death Vale had informed friends and family that she was planning to seek a divorce from Nowden, prosecutors said.
Nowden and Vale got into a heated argument at Nowden's place of employment, Barona Casino, shortly before the deadly stabbing. As a result of the argument, Nowden was escorted off the property, prosecutors said.
On Friday, Nowden was ordered to stand trial. If convicted, Nowden faces 56 years to life in prison.
