A California man is convicted of murder after he propped his dead ex-wife on a couch during Christmas, telling their children that she was drunk while they opened presents.

According to prosecutors, 26-year-old Za’Zell Preston died after Wallace physically beat her during a Christmas Eve argument. At the time, Wallace and Preston lived together with their newborn boy and Preston’s two daughters, ages three and eight.

Heather Brown, the senior deputy district attorney in Orange County, told the court that on Christmas Day 2011, Wallace carried his wife’s body from their bedroom into the living room, where he propped her on the couch with sunglasses on. He then allegedly told his children that Preston “ruined Christmas” by getting intoxicated the night before.

The children then opened their presents, unaware that their mother was deceased at the time. Investigators found blood throughout the apartment the OCR reports, along with a door ripped from the hinges and holes in the wall.

Joining Nancy Grace today:

Lorri Galloway - Victims Friend, Founder and Executive Director of The Eli Shelter Homes for Abused Children, Former Mayor Pro Tem of City of Anaheim, Instagram: @LorriGalloway, Twitter: @lorri_galloway
Melissa Hoppmeyer - Chief, Special Victims & Family Violence Unit, Prince George's County State's Attorney's Office, Co-Founder of Right Response Consulting, "No Grey Zone" Podcast, www. rightresponseconsulting @NoGreyZoneRRC
Dr. Angela Arnold - Psychiatrist, Atlanta GA www.angelaarnoldmd.com
Dr. Michelle Dupre - Forensic Pathologist and former Medical Examiner, Author: “Homicide Investigation Field Guide” & "Investigating Child Abuse Field Guide", Ret. Police Detective Lexington County Sheriff’s Department
Dan Scott - Retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Sergeant, 26 years with Special Victims Bureau Specializing in Child Abuse
Alexis Tereszcuk - CrimeOnline.com Investigative Reporter, Writer/Fact Checker, Lead Stories dot Com, Twitter: @swimmie2009

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Killer dad props DEAD Mommy on sofa with sunglasses, tells kids, 'MOMMY'S DRUNK'