Christmas Morning Turned to Nightmare as Abusive Husband Staged Wife's Corpse
What should have been a joyous Christmas celebration in 2011 became a scene of unimaginable horror when William Wallace murdered his wife Za'Zell Preston, then propped her lifeless body on the sofa for their children to open presents around her corpse. The 26-year-old mother had endured years of domestic abuse before her husband finally made good on his repeated death threats during what should have been a festive family gathering.
A Relationship Marred by Violence and Control
Za'Zell Preston's relationship with William Wallace had been characterized by control and violence for three years prior to her tragic death. Friends and family members watched helplessly as the 30-year-old Wallace repeatedly attacked and manipulated the young mother, who had already taken out a restraining order against him following a previous conviction for battery. Despite Wallace serving prison time for assaulting Za'Zell in 2008, she continued to believe his promises of change, particularly after discovering she was pregnant with his child.
The couple presented a facade of happiness to the outside world, with Za'Zell posting a social media photo captioned "Lovebirds for life" just months before her murder. Behind this carefully constructed image, however, the reality was far darker. Determined to break the cycle of abuse, Za'Zell had enrolled in college and was training to become a domestic violence counsellor, with graduation just weeks away when her life was brutally cut short.
The Christmas Eve Attack That Ended a Life
On Christmas Eve 2011, the couple attended a neighbour's party before an argument erupted during their walk home. Neighbors later reported hearing violent shouting, and the truth would eventually emerge that Wallace had beaten Za'Zell around the head and dragged her back inside their Anaheim, California flat when she attempted to escape. The violence escalated inside their home, with Wallace shoving Za'Zell into a glass table - an act witnessed in terror by her eldest daughter - before continuing the assault in the bathroom where he dropped her, smashing her head and causing fatal injuries.
Instead of calling for emergency services immediately, Wallace waited until Christmas morning to contact authorities, but not before committing acts of almost unimaginable cruelty. He dragged Za'Zell's lifeless body into the living room, sat her upright on the sofa, placed sunglasses over her eyes, and told their children that "Mommy got drunk and ruined Christmas." He then encouraged the traumatized youngsters to open their presents beside their mother's corpse, even filming the horrific scene.
Years of Abuse Revealed During Painful Trial
It took nine long years before Wallace faced justice for his crimes, with prosecutors during his 2021 trial laying bare the extensive history of abuse Za'Zell had endured. "He had been threatening to kill her for three years," prosecutors told jurors. "On Christmas, he made good on those threats." Family members recounted finding Za'Zell curled up on the street after previous beatings and described her calling from shop bathrooms where she hid from Wallace in fear.
The most harrowing testimony came from Za'Zell's teenage daughter, who described helping pull shards of glass from her mother's body after the initial attack and witnessing Wallace carry her into the bathroom where he dropped her head onto the toilet. "After she hit the toilet, I think she passed away," the teen testified. "He put her down to sleep while she was deceased. She was cold." The next morning, she attempted to wake her mother for Christmas, only to discover her body was "rock hard" and unresponsive.
Justice Finally Served After Protracted Legal Battle
Medical experts confirmed Za'Zell had suffered repeated blows to the head, and in April 2021, Wallace was finally found guilty of second-degree murder. During sentencing, Za'Zell's mother Saidell Preston, who took charge of her three grandchildren, branded Wallace a "selfish psychopath" who had "beat and tortured my daughter and mentally assassinated her children."
Za'Zell's eldest daughter delivered a powerful victim impact statement, telling the court: "I have grown up in hell since he murdered my mom. There is no childhood for me – just a downhill spiral since I was eight." The judge sentenced Wallace to 15 years to life in prison, taking into account the nine years he had already served awaiting trial. The case stands as a tragic reminder of the devastating consequences of domestic violence and the importance of intervention before such relationships reach their fatal conclusion.
