Trial starts for Fil-Am accused of killing pregnant sis-in-law

LAS VEGAS — Trial began Monday of the 31-year-old Filipina-American accused of stabbing to death her pregnant sister-in-law during a family dispute in their Las Vegas apartment.

Elinor Indico is facing charges of murder, manslaughter of an unborn child, and child abuse, neglect or endangerment in connection with the Oct. 16, 2013, death of Ashley Indico and her unborn child.

Prosecutors have indicated they may seek the death penalty.

Elinor Indico was scheduled to go to trial Jan. 21, but Clark County District Judge Stefany Miley decided to re-schedule it for Monday, Feb. 24.

The new date was agreed upon after defense was granted more time to study new evidence of the case.

Indico’s attorney, Norman Reed, a deputy public defender, said he needed more time to study a recorded “confession” Indico reportedly made to police.

“Getting more time is essential since self-defense is the crux of Indico’s case.,” Reed said. “A confession – if Elinor Indico did give one – would largely void any self-defense claim.”

The previously undisclosed confession — in the form of a recording — was provided the Public Defender’s Office last week.

Ashley Indico, wife of Aristeo Indico, Elinor’s brother, sustained 14 stab wounds from a “ninja knife” Elinor had admitted she kept in her suitcase.

A Clark County coroner’s investigator noted that Ashley Indico had stab wounds in the back of her head, side of her neck, her left arm, which was broken, and a post-mortem stab wound on her left ankle.

Elinor told police she was acting in self-defense and that Ashley Indico initiated the fight after finding the knife and threatening to kill her.

Elinor said she was able to take the knife back after Ashley Indico stabbed her in the stomach. She was treated at a local hospital for her wounds.

Elinor Indico was going through some hard times at the time of the incident.

In addition to drug problems, she had no place to stay.

Her brother Aris offered to allow her to stay with him and his family, although he warned her to stay away from drugs.

When she was caught doing drugs again, her brother and sister-in-law asked her to leave. She refused, resulting in the quarrel with her sister-in-law.

During the fight, Ashley Indico locked herself in the bathroom in an attempt to save her life and that of her unborn child, but it was too late.

When police arrived, they had to kick in the bathroom door and found Ashely dead with multiple stab wounds.

Her two young children were in the apartment during the attack and one of the children ran to a neighbor’s home to get help for his mother.

The presence of the children resulted in additional charges of child neglect and child endangerment.