A woman from Alabama will spend the rest of her life in prison after she was convicted of murdering her boyfriend in a shocking act of violence.
Angelica Quintana, 31, was sentenced on Tuesday after a jury found her guilty in February 2025 of killing Dennis Melton, 27 — her boyfriend and the father of her three children.
What Happened on the Highway?
On February 8, 2022, police responded to a report of a pedestrian being hit by a car on Interstate 59/20 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
At first, authorities thought it was an accident. But after investigating, they learned it was no accident at all — it was intentional.
When officers arrived, they found Dennis Melton trapped underneath Quintana’s car.
He was rushed to the hospital but sadly died soon after.
Witnesses Saw Everything
Several eyewitnesses told the jury what happened:
They said Quintana’s car was parked on the emergency lane of the highway.
Melton was walking safely on the right side of the road.
Suddenly, Quintana drove across three lanes of traffic and hit him from behind.
But it didn’t stop there.
Witnesses said she ran over him again, dragging him across the pavement.
The orange safety vest Melton was wearing left a bright orange streak on the road.
One witness even captured the tragic moment on video, showing Melton trapped under the car while Quintana stood nearby without helping.
Her Chilling Words
During the trial, about 10 witnesses, including Melton’s sister, testified that Quintana had threatened Melton before the crash.
“If you get out of the car, I’m going to watch you die,” they heard her say.
The Trial and Sentencing
The jury found Quintana guilty of murder on February 14, 2025.
At her sentencing, Judge Daniel Pruet gave her a life sentence without the chance of parole.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Paula Whitney said that Quintana never called 911, showed no remorse, and didn’t try to save Melton after hitting him.
Whitney said the judge definitely considered Quintana’s lack of remorse when deciding her sentence.
This tragic case has left three young children without their father and a family devastated by a senseless act of violence.
With her life sentence, Angelica Quintana will never walk free again, serving as a reminder that choices made in anger can destroy many lives forever.
