The mother in Why Did You Kill Me went in on ‘monster’ killer in 15-minute court speech

She told him she hoped he’d be killed in prison and the judge had to ask her to stop


Crystal Theobald’s mother, Belinda Lane, gave a powerful 15-minute victim impact speech in court after the final suspect in her daughter’s murder case was sentenced. She threw insults at William “Jokes” Sotelo and accused his family of hiding him from the police.

10 years after Crystal Theobald was killed, the final suspect, William Sotelo, was tracked down in Mexico and in 2020 he was sentenced to 22 years in jail for his part in the crime. The case is now being examined in a new documentary called Why Did You Kill Me on Netflix.

The documentary tells the story of how 24-year-old Crystal was killed by gang members in 2006. She was in the car with her boyfriend and her brother, Justin Theobald. Crystal’s boyfriend was driving and her mother, Belinda Lane, was in another car just ahead of them.

Belinda Lane, Crystal Theobald, Why Did You Kill Me, Netflix, victim impact speech, court, case

Crystal and Belinda, via Netflix

Members of local gang the 5150 said they heard a rival gang had attempted to kill some 5150 members earlier in that day, so they were out seeking revenge. At around 8:40pm that night, the car which Crystal was in was shot at multiple times. Crystal had been shot in the head and was rushed to hospital where she died two days later. William Sotelo was found to have been driving the car which approached Crystal’s.

The court case wasn’t show in the Netflix film, but at the end of it Belinda Lane was given the chance to address the courtroom in a victim impact speech – and she chose to address Sotelo himself, and went in on him.

The speech lasted just over 16 minutes, and she called him a “coward,” a “monster,”  a “punk” and “despicable” before telling him that she hoped other gang members who were in prison with him would “snuff your life out” in jail. She added: “I don’t think you’ll last long”. The speech was given in front of a large portrait of Crystal.

She then turned on Sotelo’s family, accusing them of helping him to hide for all the years he was in Mexico evading justice. At this point, the judge had to ask Belinda to stop, and reminded her that she was only permitted to address Sotelo or the judge. Belinda apologised.

William Sotelo reportedly sat silently staring at the wall throughout the entire tirade, and outside court Lane said she felt he “wasn’t even sorry”.

The other main suspect in the case was Julio Heredia – whose gunshot is what killed Crystal. In 2011, five years after Crystal’s murder, Julio Heredia was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole, for first degree murder and a number of other offences.

According to The Press Enterprise, after the sentencing of Heredia, Lane also said she suffered a heart attack when she learned her daughter wasn’t going to survive. She said her daughter’s heart, lungs and kidneys were to be donated and “are keeping five other people alive”. She added: “In death she did more than (Heredia) will ever be able to do if he’s allowed to live a hundred years.”

Why Did You Kill Me? is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news, quizzes, drops and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook. 

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• Why Did You Kill Me: What is the 5150 gang and what does the name mean?

• Where is William ‘Jokes’ Sotelo from Netflix’s Why Did You Kill Me documentary now?

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