Man confesses to beating girlfriend to death with closet rod, police say

FRESNO, Calif. -- A DVD full of slideshow pictures and regret is all Roy Depina Jr. has left of his daughter. He says he tried warning her about the man she had met online.

"Because Charity I want you here with me, you don't know the guy you meet on a chatline, he could probably murder you," said Depina.

Police say those fears became a reality Friday when they found 22-year-old Charity Depina unconscious inside a home. Her 43-year-old boyfriend confessed he beat her to death.

"I cried, I nearly passed out myself, that's the only daughter I have."

Detectives arrested Gabriel Salinas at the crime scene.

Friends say Charity often spoke about his abusive behavior but when they urged her to leave she reassured them that he would change.

Charity's friend Kamesha Miles said, "I just couldn't believe, like he said she had autism, she was a really sweet person, so I was like how could he do that to her."

Depina says the suspect used a closet rod to beat his daughter and even tried to apologize after the fact.

"Yeah that he's sorry to me, he said tell her dad I'm sorry for doing that, he wasn't sorry, he should have just let her go."

Friends describe Charity as always loving and happy now they are left wondering what could have led to a deadly assault that took her life Friday evening.

Salinas is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday morning, he is facing two felony charges.