MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — A Berkeley County woman accused of murdering her 8-year-old daughter appeared to be emotionally distraught in a Berkeley County courtroom Thursday.
Julie Orellana, 46, of Gerrardstown, was before a magistrate for a preliminary hearing.
A state police trooper who responded to the scene on Sept. 20 testified. He said the incident happened after Orellana told both of her daughters, 11-year-old Olivia and 8-year-old Eliza, to go upstairs and retrieve kittens from underneath a bed.
That was when Olivia said she saw her mother with weapon in hand followed by smoke. The trooper said bullet holes and shell castings showed that 5 to 6 shots were fired, hitting Olivia in the left leg and Eliza in the back twice.
Olivia was able to escape the house on Tall Pine Lane in Gerrardstown to a neighbor’s home where the 911 emergency call was made.
Police said Eliza was later found unresponsive in the living room. An autopsy revealed that in addition to the gunshot wounds, she was also stabbed 32 times.
Orellana was apprehended the next morning after fleeing the scene into a wooded area. She was reportedly found wearing clothes with blood stains and a handbag containing a steak knife, hand gun and a 6-page note.
Authorities said Orellana did not say much during her arrest but remarked that she was “sorry” and that “it was not supposed to happen this way”. When asked to elaborate, she reportedly said they, meaning herself and her two daughters, were “all supposed to die”.
The recovered note was intended for her roommate, her ex-husband and his fiancé. The trooper said the note indicated Orellana blamed her actions on her ex-husband.
Officer also noted that Orellana purchased the hand gun used in the attack the day before on Sept. 19 in Kearneysville.
After closing remarks, Magistrate Bill Norris ruled that the court had enough evidence advance the case to circuit court to be heard in front of a grand jury.
Orellana is being held without bond.
Story by WEPM’s Elias McMillan