WIDOW SAYS SENTENCED KILLER 'DESTROYED MY LIFE'.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Staff Writer

SAN FERNANDO - A grieving widow lashed out at her husband's killer Wednesday as the man was sentenced to life in prison in a robbery two years ago at a Newhall market that left one man dead and a woman injured.

``I hate you,'' said Elida Valdez, speaking in Spanish. ``I wish you the worst things in the world. You destroyed my life. You destroyed my world.''

Valdez, widow of the slain Luis Valdez, sobbed as she showed the judge a picture drawn by her 7-year-old son - black crayon on red construction paper showing a graveyard filled with coffins.

```I get really scared when I see coffins because my father is in a coffin,' '' she read from the little boy's drawing. ``His only wish is that the windows of heaven be open.''

Vincente Godoy was convicted last month of murdering market manager Luis Valdez, attempting to murder assistant manager Teresa Cano and robbing Tresierras Market. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

An appeal was filed immediately by Godoy's lawyer, who accused the prosecutor of being unethical.

Jurors, who came to witness the conclusion of the case, and other observers in the courtroom were moved to tears at Elida Valdez's words.

One of the five jurors, a 37-year-old North Hills woman, started work at 2 a.m. Wednesday so that she could attend the sentencing.

``I feel for both families,'' she said. ``But I wanted to come and see for my own peace. This way I won't keep wondering what happened to him.''

During the trial, jurors found true a special allegation sought by the prosecution that made Godoy eligible for life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Godoy, a security guard at Tresierras market, was found guilty along with co-defendant Carmelo Corado, who lived with Godoy and another suspect who prosecutors say actually pulled the trigger and has not been charged due to insufficient evidence. Corado will be sentenced today.

But the defense attorney criticized the District Attorney's Office for seeking the toughest penalty against his client when it was another man who pulled the trigger. The defense attorney said Deydis Corado, believed living in Guatemala, is suspected of shooting Luis Valdez, but was never charged.

``He is not paying for the consequences for his acts,'' said Deputy Public Defender Dror Toister. ``My client is sitting here facing life without the possibility of parole. (Deydis Corado) is back in his country, back in Guatemala enjoying his freedom.''

Though Deydis Corado was arrested along with Carmelo Corado and Godoy, prosecutors didn't have the evidence to charge him, though he was held for a short time on an unrelated illegal document charge. He was later deported.

``The ethical obligation of the D.A. is not to file a case unless we have sufficient evidence,'' said Deputy District Attorney Lori Dery. ``We have a great frustration in trying to bring Deydis Corado to justice.''

``To me there's a smack of hypocrisy there,'' Toister said. ``I still take issue whether there is adequate evidence to find reckless indifference to human life.''

Elida Valdez who recounted how she learned of her husband's death before addressing Godoy said she planned to return today for Carmelo Corado's sentencing.

It was Oct. 30, 1999, half an hour after the market's 10 p.m. closing when two masked men appeared in the market and ordered Cano to open the safe.

Godoy had allowed the other two assailants to enter through a back door to hide in a refrigerator until the store closed.

Luis Valdez, who had been waiting outside for Cano, re-entered the store, came upon the robbery in progress and tried unsuccessfully to help open the safe. While the two managers succeeded in extracting money from two safes, a third could not be opened because of a timing device.

The gunman obtained some cash, then killed the store manager, authorities said.

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Photo:

(1 -- 3 -- color) Vincente Godoy, left, listens as he is sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole in the 1999 murder of Luis Valdez during a store robbery. At top right, the victim's widow, Elida Valdez speaks out against the defendant in San Fernando Superior Court on Wednesday while family member Maria Ester Valdez shows her emotion.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer