This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A 23-year-old Holladay woman who pleaded guilty to stabbing her girlfriend dozens of times after they beat each other during a fight is set to be sentenced Tuesday.
Victoria Mendoza is facing at least 15 years and up to life in prison after she pleaded guilty to the murder charge in a surprise move that was not part of a deal with prosecutors.
Prosecutors say that she and 21-year-old Tawnee Baird had a volatile five-year relationship that included drug use, jealousy and physical fights.
Authorities say they were in the car together fighting about a guy when Mendoza pulled out a knife October 2014.
The Standard Examiner in Ogden reported that Mendoza' lawyer said he was planning to argue that she has battered woman syndrome, but she insisted on pleading guilty as charged.