COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—A Colorado Springs man is being ordered to spend 70 years in prison for trying to kill his then-4-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter in a bloody knife attack.
Fourth Judicial District Judge Edward Colt handed down the sentence Monday to 45-year-old Matthew Valverde. A jury in November convicted him of attempted first-degree murder, assault and child abuse.
Prosecutors said Valverde stabbed his children in the back and slashed their wrists in May 2006, then tried to kill himself because he was angry his wife was leaving him.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Donna Billek says the children will likely face a stigma as teenagers because of the scars left by the attack.
Colt noted while announcing the sentence that the children came very close to dying.
