Woman sentenced for stabbing mother to death after breaking into her NW Houston apartment

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Houston woman was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Thursday after pleading guilty to murdering her own mother in 2021.

The video above is from ABC13's 24/7 livestream.

Ericka Nicole McDonald, 31, fatally stabbed her 51-year-old mother, Terri Mendoza, at her apartment on Willow Place Drive in northwest Houston on Aug. 16, 2021.

Authorities reported that before the attack, McDonald got into an argument with both her mom and 63-year old aunt.

McDonald, who was staying with family members at a nearby apartment, broke into her mother's apartment through a window while wearing a mask and black clothes. She then stabbed her mother and aunt, left and changed clothes, and returned to the scene minutes later, pretending she didn't know what happened.

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Houston police said Mendoza died at the hospital. The aunt, who police say was stabbed six times, survived but had to have surgery.

An eyewitness identified McDonald as the intruder, despite the mask, and officers with the Houston Police Department arrested her.

Assistant District Attorney Casey Smith, who is a chief in the DA's Homicide Division, prosecuted the case.

"It was important to get justice in this case, and a plea agreement means she will go to prison for what she did and cannot appeal," Smith said.

McDonald must serve at least half of the prison sentence before she will be eligible for parole.

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