WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT Za’Zell Preston, 26, suffered years of domestic abuse from her husband, William Wallace, until he eventually killed her and waited until Christmas morning to call for any help
Behind the smiles was a dark reality (Image: )
It should have been the happiest Christmas of Za’Zell Preston’s life, spending it with her seven-week-old baby boy and two other children.
In 2011, the 26-year-old’s flat in Anaheim, California was packed with wrapped presents, tiny outfits and decorations – ready for a perfect festive season. However, behind the smiles the young mum was living a nightmare that would end in murder.
She was trapped in a violent and toxic relationship with her husband, William Wallace, and had been for the past three years. Friends and family watched helplessly as the relationship spiralled into abuse as the 30-year-old repeatedly controlled and attacked her. Yet she always forgave him, even though she’d told loved ones he had threatened to kill her more than once.
In 2008, Wallace was jailed for battering Za’Zell, where he served 45 days, was placed on probation and ordered to attend a treatment programme. She later took out a restraining order and, when Wallace broke it, he was sent back to prison.
Za’Zell visited him behind bars and he promised he’d changed. When she discovered she was pregnant with his child – after already having two from a previous relationship – she wanted to believe him.
Wallace was released in the summer of 2011 and moved back into her home with her daughters, and they tried again to play happy families.
In July, Za’Zell posted a photo on social media of her kissing Wallace, captioned: “Lovebirds for life.” Yet the reality was far from that picture perfect image.
Determined to escape the cycle of abuse, Za’Zell enrolled in college and trained to become a domestic violence counsellor. As Christmas approached, she was just weeks away from graduating.
Christmas Day horror
But at 9.30am on Christmas Day, Wallace called 911 and told operators his wife needed medical help and when paramedics arrived, they found Za’Zell slumped on the sofa.
Blood was stained on the walls, holes had been punched through them and a door was ripped from its hinges. Elsewhere, a glass table lay shattered across the floor.
The three children were still inside the flat, none the wiser and surrounded by torn wrapping paper and Christmas gifts. Za’Zell was rushed to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
After Wallace was arrested, the horrifying truth came out about what happened the night before. The couple had attended a neighbour’s Christmas Eve party.
On the walk home, an argument erupted and neighbours later told police they heard shouting that sounded violent. Wallace beat Za’Zell around the head and dragged her back inside when she tried to escape.
Her eldest daughter watched in terror as he shoved her mum into the glass table, smashing it and sending shards into her skin.
Later, Wallace would claim he was “defending himself”. Investigators didn’t believe him. The violence continued in the bathroom, where Wallace dropped Za’Zell, smashing her head. The injuries killed her.
But instead of calling for help, he did something almost unimaginable. On Christmas morning, Wallace dragged Za’Zell’s lifeless body into the living room. He sat her upright on the sofa. He placed sunglasses over her eyes.
Then he told the children: “Mommy got drunk and ruined Christmas.” He then encouraged them to open their presents beside her corpse, even filming the moment.
History of abuse
Wallace was charged with murder, but it took nine long years before he faced justice. At trial, prosecutors laid bare years of abuse. “He had been threatening to kill her for three years,” they told jurors. “On Christmas, he made good on those threats.”
Za’Zell’s grandmother recalled finding her granddaughter curled up on the street after one beating. Another time, Za’Zell called her from a shop bathroom, hiding from Wallace in fear.
On Christmas morning, Wallace rang the grandmother and casually admitted he had “tossed her around a bit”. The most harrowing testimony came from Za’Zell’s teenage daughter.
She described helping pull shards of glass from her mum’s body. She watched Wallace carry her into the bathroom and drop her head onto the toilet.
“After she hit the toilet, I think she passed away,” the teen said. “He put her down to sleep while she was deceased. She was cold.”
The next morning, she woke up and went to open presents – her mum was already dead. “I tried to touch her,” she told the court. “She was rock hard, cold. I said ‘Mommy’ and she didn’t respond.”
The defence tried to discredit her, claiming her account had changed, but prosecutors said she had been terrified and coached by Wallace. Meanwhile, medical experts confirmed Za’Zell suffered repeated blows to the head.
In April 2021, Wallace was found guilty of second-degree murder. Saidell Preston, Za’Zell’s mum, who took charge of her three grandchildren, branded him as a “selfish psychopath”.
“He beat and tortured my daughter and mentally assassinated her children. He showed her no mercy. Let’s show him no mercy,” she said.
Za’Zell’s eldest daughter told the court: “I have grown up in hell since he murdered my mom. There is no childhood for me – just a downhill spiral since I was eight.” The judge sentenced him to 15 years to life, taking into account the nine years already served.
