Maestas partner pleads guilty

William Hugh Irish, who helped death-row inmate Floyd Eugene Maestas break into a 75-year-old woman's home the night Maestas killed the woman, has pleaded guilty to reduced charges as part of a plea bargain.

Irish, 22, testified against Maestas at his trial for the murder of Donna Lou Bott, who was slain in her home Sept. 28, 2004. A jury convicted Maestas and returned a sentence of death by lethal injection.

Irish on Monday pleaded guilty to second-degree felony aggravated burglary in connection with the Bott incident.

He originally had been charged with murder and aggravated burglary, two first-degree felonies, and forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony.

Irish also pleaded guilty to one count of damaging a jail, a third-degree felony, which was a separate case involving graffiti he did while in the Salt Lake County Jail.

As part of a plea bargain involving the jail damage, two other charges were dismissed. These were two counts of assault by a prisoner, both third-degree felonies.

Irish, who has gotten a swastika tattoo under one eye while in jail and has an alias of "white boy," testified at Maestas' trial that he has aligned himself with "people" to protect him in prison in the event anyone who supports Maestas might try to harm him.

Third District Judge Paul Maughan ordered a 90-day diagnostic evaluation and a pre-sentence report to be prepared before Irish is sentenced June 30.

A second co-defendant who also testified in the Maestas case, Rodney Roy Renzo, 22, has refused to take part in a diagnostic evaluation and has stated in writing that he wants to be sentenced to prison, according to court documents. Renzo pleaded guilty in February to first-degree aggravated burglary and is scheduled to be sentenced Monday.

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E-mail: lindat@desnews.com