Woman, 18, drove off with man caught under her car. Now she’s guilty of murder

A Tulare County jury found Chaylin Funez, 18, guilty of second-degree murder and felony hit and run in the death of 35-year-old Eric Fisher near his Visalia home.

The jury deliberated two days before returning its verdict on Monday. A stunned Funez sat motionless as the verdict was read, according to the Visalia Times-Delta.

Funez could receive 25 years to life. Sentencing is expected on Jan. 4.

In May, Funez was accused of killing Fisher by hitting him with her car and dragging him for nearly a block on West Prospect Avenue in Visalia. Witnesses, including Fisher’s wife, Alice, saw the car hit her husband and then continue driving.

Police said Fisher was attempting to diffuse an argument between a passerby and a man in the car Funez was driving. After the man got back into the car, Funez made a U-turn and headed back towards the area where Fisher was standing.

She made a slow left turn onto Prospect, then accelerated and struck Fisher with the car, police said.

After the car hit Fisher, it plowed through a chain link fence into a front yard, Funez then backed up into the street and drove west on Prospect.

Fisher’s body was caught underneath the car and dragged for a block before being dislodged, police said.

Witnesses told police it looked as though she intentionally ran over Fisher, who was taken to the hospital and later died.

This story was originally published December 4, 2017 at 3:10 PM with the headline "Woman, 18, drove off with man caught under her car. Now she’s guilty of murder."