The Stilleto Murder

Dr. Stefan Andersson moved to the U.S. from Sweden in the 1980s. He soon found work as a pharmaceutical researcher. In 2009, Dr. Andersson relocated to Houston to begin a career as a biochemistry professor at the University of Houston.

Stefan Meets Ana

In 2013, Dr. Andersson met Ana Trujillo while passing at the high-rise he lived in. Ana was a divorced mother of two young children who lived with their father. She had remarried another man with whom she was currently involved, but Dr. Andersson nonetheless asked her out for a drink. She said yes and they met that evening.

An attractive woman who often caught the eye of men when she headed out on the town, Ana enjoyed the nightlife and attention. She was a drifter who often stayed with the men she would meet before she’d leave him for a new guy.

Things went well between Stefan and Ana for a while. They dined out and frequented bars, though Stefan’s friends found it odd that a woman as young as Ana would have interest in a man his age and the differences in their social status.

A Frantic 911 Call

On June 9, 2013, months after Stefan and Ana began dating, she dialed 911. Ana was hysterical as she told the dispatcher that her boyfriend had attacked her and she defended herself by grabbing her blue suede stiletto heels and striking him with it.

She told the dispatcher Stefan was alive but dying and begged the dispatcher to send someone quickly.

When police and paramedics arrived a few minutes later, Stefan was dead. He was lying on his back in the hallway of his high-rise, blood covering his face and ground. He was unrecognizable due to the trauma to his face.

It Wasn't a Gun

Police thought Stefan had been shot and asked Ana for the gun. That’s when Ana told them she did not shoot Stefan; she beat him with the 5-inch stiletto heel on her blue suede shoes.

She provided the shoe to the police. It was covered in blood with hair wrapped around the hell.

Twenty-Five Strikes From a Stilleto Heel

Stefan had been struck with the stiletto heel 25 times. He had visible, deep puncture wounds to various areas of his face, forearms, and palms, which suggested he attempted to defend himself from the blows from the heel.

Blood spatter on the wall was low to the ground. This told police that Stefan was on his back when he was attacked. Ana had blood on her thighs and crotch of her jeans, suggesting she was straddling Stefan at the time she struck him.

Police took Ana to the station for questioning. She told them that Stefan turned to alcohol because he was lonely. She said Stefan became a different person when he drank and was abusive to her. She even left Stefan once, going to Mexico, but returned when he begged her to come back.

She told investigators on this night, Stefan asked her to marry him. She said yes. They went out to Bar 5015 to celebrate, but once Stefan became intoxicated, he started accusing Ana of flirting with other men. They began to fight when they got home. He grabbed her, they fell to the ground, and she grabbed the shoe to defend herself.

Friends Tell a Different Story

Police thought it was odd that Ana did not have a single scratch or mark on her person indicative of a struggle or a fight. After speaking to Stefan’s friends, they learned that while he did drink, it was Ana who was the violent one. They told police Stefan was kind and considerate and had neer hurt anyone. They even told police the two were not engaged. They even had proof that Stefan had ended the relationship with Ana before the murder.

Even tenants at the high-rise complex where Stefan lived had complained about Ana and her behaviors. She had changed the locks to his door and often yelled and cursed at him. They said she would not accept the fact that Stefan no longer wanted to be with her.

Ana knew the bars Stefan frequented and on the night of the murder, showed up at Bar 5015. Stefan did not invite nor expect to see Ana at the bar. They left together and Stefan called a taxi. The taxi cab driver testified in court that Anna was belligerent and did not want to leave. She cursed and yelled at the driver the entire duration of the taxi ride.

Conviction & Trial

Police determined the murder was not in self-defense and took Ana into custody. She was charged with murder. She was found guilty of Dr. Stefan Andersson’s murder and sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 2043.