A Hobart man could get home detention in a plea deal for his wife’s death.
Edwin Burgos, 66, admitted Friday in Lake Superior Court to neglect of a dependent resulting in bodily injury, a Level 5 felony, according to filings.
If a judge accepts the plea deal, it calls for him to serve four years in Lake County Community Corrections on home detention. In exchange, prosecutors would drop his murder charge in the Aug. 29, 2024, death of Patricia Burgos, 58.
A sentencing hearing is April 17.
According to the plea deal, Burgos allegedly admitted his wife had “significant medical conditions” that made her disabled. He was supposed to be her caregiver, helping her eat, take medications and with “everyday tasks.”
He failed to “provide adequate (medical) care” and did not get it when she needed it, the plea agreement states.
Deputy Prosecutor Infinity Westberg is prosecuting the case. Defense lawyer Maryrachel Durso is representing Burgos. The case is before Judge Salvador Vasquez.
According to the original affidavit, around 12:54 a.m. on Aug. 30, 2024, police were called to a residence in the 2900 block of State Street to find a dead woman in a bedroom, which was in heavy disarray, according to the probable cause affidavit. She had visible bruising on her head, face, and neck.
An autopsy report from the Lake County Coroner’s Office indicated that she was the victim of a homicide due to strangulation, including multiple blunt force traumas to the head, records state. There were dark brown contusions on her neck, which were from hemorrhages due to being strangled, and contusions on the lungs and brain.
Edwin Burgos Sr. told police that she fell down the stairs, which caused the bump on her eye and bruising and insisted that he didn’t hit her, court records state. He said he gave her medications on the morning of Aug. 29 and left her in bed, but checked on her several times during the day. When he came back in around 11 p.m., she was lying on the floor and not breathing. He drove to a residence in Hobart to ask for help, then headed back to Lake Station, where police were present, the affidavit states.
He denied choking Patricia Burgos in his first interview with police.
A witness told police that two weeks prior, Edwin and Patricia got into an argument and Edwin started throwing pictures on the floor as he was yelling, records state. He said the two often have loud arguments, claiming Patricia slept too much or wouldn’t clean up, which devolved into physical assault.
On Aug. 29, from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., he heard constant loud arguing between the pair; after 4 p.m., only Edwin was yelling, court records state.
Police and EMS arrived around 11 p.m. that night to find her dead. He told police that Patricia did not have any bruising in the two days prior and she isn’t known to fall often, thus discrediting Edwin’s claims, the affidavit states.
Another witness told police that Edwin was yelling at Patricia to go downstairs and head to the store, which she didn’t want to do. Later, they headed back upstairs and around 6 p.m., he heard Edwin yelling at Patricia about not taking her pills and heard pictures breaking, records state. Patricia did not head downstairs like she usually does to go to the bathroom. He said Edwin came downstairs crying at some point and left the residence, court records state.
A third resident said Edwin was seen lying on the bedroom floor feeding Patricia and her voice sounded very low, which she said was abnormal.
In a second interview with police, Edwin said that around lunchtime, he went to his daughter’s house to ask about taking Patricia to the hospital, which he hadn’t mentioned initially, the affidavit states. Upon his return at 12:15 p.m., he said she was unresponsive and breathing, then corrected himself, saying it was 6 p.m., which was contrary to his initial statement that it was around 11 p.m.
He said he didn’t call 911 because he didn’t know how, records state.
Post-Tribune archives contributed; mcolias@post-trib.com
