The San Diego County District Attorney's office charged three people - a man and two women - with murder in the death of 22-year-old Fallbrook resident and military wife Brittany Killgore.
Here is a breakdown of what has happened the days leading up to and following the discovery of Killgore's body near Lake Skinner on April 17, 2012 -- just four days after she was reported missing.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012: Killgore and her husband Cory, who was deployed to Afghanistan, file for divorce.
Friday, April 13, 2012: A friend sees Killgore at 5 p.m. in Fallbrook, which is the last known contact she had with someone. Killgore is wearing a dark purple evening gown with purple floral glitter patterns.
Saturday, April 14, 2012: A homeless man attempts to sell Killgore's cell phone to a stranger according to officials. The person then calls Killgore's mother, Michelle Wrest, who alerts authorities. Investigators launch a search for Killgore.
Sunday, April 15, 2012: Deputies arrest 45-year-old Marine Louis Perez on unrelated charges of stealing an AR-15 assault rifle. He is questioned regarding Killgore's disappearance, but detectives say he is uncooperative. Perez is booked into the Vista Detention Center and his bail is set at $500,000.
Monday, April 16, 2012: Flyers are posted and deputies ask for the public’s assistance in locating Killgore. Investigators say they believe there is a strong likelihood she is the victim of foul play.
Investigators search De Luz Canyon near Fallbrook based on a tip but do not find anything.
Neighbors tell NBC7 that 30 to 40 investigators searched a home at 317 East Fallbrook Street using flashlights and taking photographs. They also searched a boat kept behind the home.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012: Jessica Lynn Lopez, is arrested at the Ramada Inn on the 1400 block of Rosecrans Street. The 25-year-old has self-inflicted injuries and is transported to UCSD Medical Center for "medical necessity." Just before 11 p.m., Lopez is booked into Las Colinas Detention Facility.
A female body is discovered by a road worker in Riverside County near Lake Skinner, but investigators can not say whether the body was Killgore's.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012: The Medical Examiner's office confirms the identity of the female body found in Riverside as Brittany Killgore.
Killgore's grandmother, Cheryl Noble, reports that Killgore was planning to return to her parent's house on April 17.
Perez pleads not guilty to weapons charges during his arraignment. The judge upholds the bail of $500,000. No other charges are added.
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Thursday, April 19, 2012: Lopez pleads "not guilty" to first-degree murder charges. The judge sets her bail at $3 million. Lopez faces 25 years to life if she is convicted.
San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis charges Lopez with murder and says additional charges are possible.
Killgore's father, Darryl Wrest, speaks publicly and asks that people respect his family and daughter's memory.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012: Perez is arrested on murder charges by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
Thursday, April 26, 2012: Brittany's husband releases a statement saying how much she meant to him.
At a court hearing, prosecutors say they found Killgore's blood and a weapon inside Perez' car.
Thursday, May 10, 2012: Detectives make a third arrest in the case when they take Dorothy Grace Marie Maraglino, 36, into custody.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012: Maraglino appears in a Vista courtroom to face a murder charge. Prosecutors say the 36-year-old was involved in the "beginning, middle and end" of the crime.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012: All three defendants appear in court to face a second felony complaint. The judge orders they provide handwriting samples to prosecutors and sets a preliminary hearing for August 20.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012: A detective testifies that Perez, Maraglino and Lopez were involved in sadomasochistic activity, but that Killgore was not involved in that lifestyle. Search warrants that revealed the activity remain sealed at the District Attorney's request.
Thursday, July 19, 2012: Four search warrants are unsealed in the case at the request of a state appeals court judge, revealing several crucial pieces of evidence in the case. The evidence includes a stun gun, latex gloves and a suicide note allegedly written by one defendant. Detectives also detail a timeline of text messages sent to and from the defendants and Killgore.
Thursday, Aug. 29, 2012: Twenty-two additional search warrants are released that state Killgore was an unwilling participant in sadomasochistic sexual activity involving the three suspects accused of killing her.
Monday, March 11, 2013: A preliminary hearing begins for Perez, Maraglino and Lopez, accused of killing Killgore. Several witnesses, including Killgore's friend, Channy Tal, take the stand. Tal was the friend Killgore texted "HELP" to on the night of April 13, 2012. The preliminary hearing will determine if there is enough evidence for the three defendants to stand trial.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013: A close friend of Brittany Killgore testifies that the Marine wife "hung out" at the home on East Fallbrook Street in the months before her death and knew of the BDSM activity at the home.
The testimony was very graphic at times with images of BDSM "play scenes" submitted into evidence and talk of “needle play”, dominants and submissives.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013: A Sprint representative testifies about text messages sent between the defendants in the four days after Brittany Killgore was reported missing.
Thursday, March 14, 2013: Former roommate "Nicole" testifies she took part in a pretend abduction scenario with Perez and Maraglino. She also says Maraglino has a fascination with blood.
Friday, March 15, 2013: A detective reads the suicide letter written by defendant Jessica Lynn Lopez in court. In the graphic confession letter, Lopez describes how she killed Killgore in detail -- from duct-taping her wrists to dumping her body.
Friday, Dec. 12, 2014: Prosecutors confirm they will not seek the death penalty in the case.
Thursday, Aug. 13, 2015: Autopsy report is unsealed revealing that Killgore had strangulation marks on her neck, as well as wounds on her left wrist consistent with handcuff use.
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015: After several weeks at trial and 18 hours of deliberations over the course of three days, a jury convicts Perez, Maraglino and Lopez of murder, kidnapping, torture and sexual battery charges in the slaying of Killgore. The only charge tossed out by jurors is a conspiracy to kidnap charge against Lopez.
Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015: A judge sentences Perez and Lopez to life in prison for the murder of Killgore, while emotional impact statements from the victim's family are read in court. Lopez will be sentenced in January 2016.
