DA says Feinbloom deal came down to one thing: T’Neya Tovar’s parents wanted to bury their daughter

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KESQ) Imperial County District Attorney George Marquez says he was ready to put Abraham Feinbloom in front of a jury. His witnesses were lined up. He'd even brought in help from the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.

Then T'Neya Tovar's parents told him what they needed.

"The victim's family wanted to bury their child. They wanted to bury their daughter," Marquez told News Channel 3 on Wednesday. "That was something that was very important to me. And they kept telling us, we want to give her a proper burial."

So instead of a murder trial, Marquez made a deal. Feinbloom pleads no contest to torture and voluntary manslaughter, 13 years to life, and in return he shows investigators where T'Neya's remains are.

One day after the agreement was filed, investigators recovered remains in a Salton City wash they believe are hers. DNA testing still has to confirm it.

"When we advised the family, they did break down and start crying," Marquez said, "because this was something that was so important to them."

Why not murder

Marquez said the plea was built backward from one goal.

"The important thing for us was the life sentence. Torture gives us the life sentence. It gives us seven to life. The manslaughter gives us an additional six years," he said. "So we were able to come up with an offer that comes close to what he would have gotten if we went to trial. So 13 years to life versus 16 years to life, in exchange for where the remains were, so the family could get closure and they could bury their daughter."

Marquez said the decision wasn't easy.

"Going to trial on this case was very tempting. It's something that I would have loved to have seen, to be frank with you," Marquez said. "But at the end of the day, being a father myself, I know how badly her parents wanted to put her to rest. So that played a very big part in my decision."

Marquez said the Riverside County DA's office had assigned a prosecutor to help try the case. "They were both ready to go to trial," he said. "But given the fact that the family wanted to bury their daughter, we came to this resolution."

A deal with no guarantee

Under the agreement, reviewed by News Channel 3, the murder charge is dismissed at sentencing only if investigators recover portions of T'Neya's torso and head first. Nothing Feinbloom told investigators during the search can be used against him unless he testifies and contradicts himself.

Marquez admitted he didn't know if Feinbloom would follow through.

"To be frank with you, I wasn't sure," he said. "But he ended up being truthful."

He would not say what Feinbloom told investigators, how T'Neya died or why her remains were at more than one site. "We can't comment on that," Marquez said. "When the final sentencing hearing is held, we will be able to tell you more at that time."

Investigators had already spent months looking. Marquez said his office, the FBI and the sheriff's offices in Imperial and Riverside counties used ground-penetrating radar, helicopters and "the latest technology" and came up empty.

"This is a vast desert. There's a lot of land," he said. "That's another reason why we knew we weren't going to find it unless he provided a location."

'Never sees the light of day'

Feinbloom becomes eligible for parole after 13 years. Marquez said that doesn't mean he gets out.

"It's very unlikely he's going to be out at the 13-year mark. The likely scenario is he's probably going to die in prison," Marquez said. "I gave my word to the family. We're going to do everything possible so this guy never sees the light of day again."

The deal covers only T'Neya's case, he said. "If he committed any other crimes that we're not aware of, somebody can prosecute any crimes that aren't part of this one." Asked if his office knows of any, Marquez said no.

Marquez said he spoke with T'Neya's father Tuesday and with both parents in court. "They thanked me from the bottom of their heart," he said, "for making this disposition where they could find the remains and they could bury their daughter."

"Obviously, she's not coming back," Marquez said. "But he's being held accountable."

T'Neya, of Hemet, was 17 when she went missing Dec. 1 after a friend dropped her off at Feinbloom's Harlequin Court home. Her parents drove to Salton City repeatedly asking deputies to check on her. Partial remains were found in the same wash three weeks later. Feinbloom was arrested Feb. 13 and told an FBI agent he did not know her.

Sentencing is set for Oct. 26 at Imperial County Superior Court in El Centro.