Testimony concludes in Mount Vernon murder plot trial

MOUNT VERNON – Testimony wrapped up Wednesday in the trial of a Mount Vernon woman accused of plotting to have her ex-husband killed.

Vanessa Valdiglesias-Lavalle, 37, is charged in Skagit County Superior Court with solicitation to commit murder and solicitation to commit first-degree assault with a noxious substance after she allegedly tried to convince her 10-year-old son to kill his father.

Closing arguments are set for Thursday.

The investigation into the alleged murder plot began in June after the child – the oldest of the two children of Valdiglesias-Lavalle and her ex-husband – recorded a conversation with his mother where she allegedly told him to put rat poison in his father’s food or drink.

Opening arguments and testimony in the trial began Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Valdiglesias-Lavalle’s ex-husband returned to the witness stand to testify about the couples’ evolving parenting plans and child support payments, which at the time the recording was made had Valdiglesias-Lavalle making child support payments to her ex-husband, Skagit County Prosecuting Attorney Rich Weyrich said.

The ex-husband also testified he did not recall if he had ever spoken to the son who made the recording specifically about recording conversations on his cellphone, but that in this instance, “I’m glad he did.”

In his testimony on Tuesday, the boy said he had gotten the idea to record the conversation with his mother from the mother of his best friend, whom the boys and their father once lived with.

“I told him basically just how to protect himself,” the woman testified Wednesday. “To record anything if he felt unsafe.”

After the boy made the recording of his mother he shared it with his best friend. That boy then shared it with his mother.

Upon hearing the recording, the woman said she called state Child Protective Services, beginning the criminal investigation.

The younger son of Valdiglesias-Lavalle and her ex-husband also testified in the case. Valdiglesias-Lavalle’s lawyer called no witnesses, Weyrich said.

The case is expected to go to the jury Thursday.