Homicide Los Angeles: Who was Teresa Broudreaux?

Homicide: Los Angeles may have only been released a few days ago, but viewers have been gripped by the true crime series. After watching the first few episodes on Netflix, one crime has prompted more questions: the murder of Teresa Broudreaux.

As the title suggests, the Netflix docuseries delves into some of the darkest and most notorious crimes committed in the City of Angels. Following on from Homicide: New York, each episode delves into a different case, with viewers learning more about the criminals and how they were brought to justice.

However, Homicide: Los Angeles also gives a rare insight into the victims, including Teresa Broudreaux in episode three, and those who continue to be affected by the case decades later. The young mother’s untimely death is explored in the third episode, Murder at the Beach, and while we now know who was responsible, viewers are keen to know more about the 20-year-old’s tragically short life.

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Who was Teresa Broudreaux?

Prior to her brutal murder, Teresa Boudreaux was a young mother who lived in Wilmington with her four-year-old daughter, Linda, and husband, Ronnie Fematt.

The couple were newlyweds, who had met at a local fast-food restaurant where Ronnie had been working. Dating for several years, they eventually tied the knot in a cosy ceremony when Teresa discovered she was expecting her second child. It seemed like the 20-year-old’s family was complete, however, her idyllic life was cut short on March 3, 1980. 

Following an argument with her husband, Teresa decided to go to her sister’s house to cool down. As the property was close to Malaga Cove Beach, the pregnant woman decided to take a short walk along the shore. However, she would never make it home – her naked body was discovered by a passing surfer the next morning.

She’d been beaten, with wounds to her head and other injuries on her fingers indicating that she’d been trying to defend herself. Suspicion fell on her husband Ronnie, despite her spouse having an alibi and others corroborating his whereabouts. The crime devastated the family, with Teresa’s loved ones doubting Ronnie's innocence for decades.

Forty years later, in 2013, a team investigating the cold case noted Teresa's murder was similar to a sexual assault that occurred in 1981. Robert Yniguez had been arrested over the assault and was questioned over Teresa's death. A registered sex offender, his DNA was matched to samples collected from Teresa's body.

In a major breakthrough for the case, he was arrested and convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 15 years to life. Currently serving time at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, near San Diego, he will not be eligible for parole until 2026.

What happened to Linda Broudreaux?

Having been so young at the time of her mother’s death, Linda Broudreaux wasn’t fully aware of what had happened. Instead, she was led to believe that her mother had drowned and only learnt the truth from family members later on. She also was told that her stepfather, Ronnie, had been responsible.

Though she went on to have a family, the loss still weighed heavily on Linda - who'd been left without a parental figure. Appearing in Homicide: Los Angeles, she later told filmmakers, “I just wanted my mom. It felt like the only person that ever loved and protected me was gone.” 

Following Yniguez’s conviction, she tried to reconnect with her stepfather and move forward with her life.

Homicide: Los Angeles is now available to stream on Netflix.