Laura Doyle

An Arleta woman, accused of killing a teen-age girl out of jealousy, threatened the youth 6 weeks before she drowned, the woman's ex-boyfriend testified Thursday. Victor Mathew Amaya, 23, testified at a preliminary hearing in Glendale Municipal Court that Laura Doyle threatened to kill Michele (Missy) Avila, whose body was found in a creek in the Angeles National Forest on Oct. 4, 1985. Amaya traveled from the California Youth Authority facility in Chino to testify against Doyle.

If you'd joined Laura Doyle and her husband, John, for dinner a few years ago, the atmosphere might have been a little tense. "I might have felt anxious about what John was going to say," explains Laura. "I might have wanted to jump in and correct him." Back then, Laura had a superiority complex, a "femino-centric" view that "everything female is the right way and everything male is the wrong way."

Laura Doyle believes she has found the antidote for wives who are controlling and unhappy about it: They should surrender. As in give up, give in and get over it. Doyle says she has put her theory into practice in her 10-year marriage and it's working for her. Now, the 32-year-old freelance marketing copywriter from Costa Mesa wants to tell you about it. In a culture that embraces support groups, Web sites and self-help books, Doyle has jumped in feet first.

Laura Doyle believes she has found the antidote for wives who are controlling and unhappy about it: They should surrender. As in give up, give in and get over it. Doyle says she has put her theory into practice in her 10-year marriage and it's working for her. Now, the 32-year-old freelance marketing copywriter from Costa Mesa wants to tell you about it. In a culture that embraces support groups, Web sites and self-help books, Doyle has jumped in feet first.

If you'd joined Laura Doyle and her husband, John, for dinner a few years ago, the atmosphere might have been a little tense. "I might have felt anxious about what John was going to say," explains Laura. "I might have wanted to jump in and correct him." Back then, Laura had a superiority complex, a "femino-centric" view that "everything female is the right way and everything male is the wrong way."

One of two women accused of murder in the 1985 slaying of an Arleta teen-ager pleaded not guilty Monday in Glendale Municipal Court. Laura Doyle, 21, is accused of drowning Michelle Y. Avila, 17, in a creek in the Angeles National Forest after a jealous argument about a boyfriend, said Deputy Dist. Atty. John Paul Bernardi. Bernardi said Avila allegedly drove with Doyle to a creek near Colby Canyon Road on Oct. 2, 1985.

After her best friend, Michele Avila, was murdered in October, 1985, Karen Severson moved in with Avila's family in Arleta to console them. "She was there to comfort me," said Michele's mother, Irene Avila. The body of 17-year-old "Missy," as she was known to friends and family, was found in a creek in Angeles National Forest on Oct. 4, 1985. Her long, brown hair had been cut off and her head held under a few inches of water until she drowned, authorities said.

More than four years ago, Irene Avila faced every parent's worst nightmare: the violent death of one of her children. Beginning this week, Avila must relive the horror surrounding the slaying of her 17-year-old daughter. She hopes that this time the nightmare finally will be laid to rest. In Pasadena Superior Court this week, Karen Severson and Laura Doyle, both 22, will go on trial for the slaying of their childhood friend, Michele (Missy) Avila.

A witness who testified against two women accused in the drowning death of a 17-year-old high school classmate lied to keep from being implicated in the crime, defense attorneys argued Monday. The testimony of Eva Chirumbolo, the key prosecution witness in the case against Karen Severson and Laura Doyle, was designed to divert attention from her own involvement in the death, defense attorney Charles Lloyd said during his closing arguments in the 2-week Pasadena Superior Court murder trial.

A woman who helped beat and drown a teenage friend 12 years ago in Angeles National Forest--and then moved in with the dead girl's mother, pretending to assist in catching the killers--was denied parole Tuesday in her first try at freedom. A three-member panel of the Board of Prison Terms ruled that Karen Severson, 29, is still a danger to society. The decision "was based on the seriousness of her crime," said Lt.

An Arleta woman, accused of killing a teen-age girl out of jealousy, threatened the youth 6 weeks before she drowned, the woman's ex-boyfriend testified Thursday. Victor Mathew Amaya, 23, testified at a preliminary hearing in Glendale Municipal Court that Laura Doyle threatened to kill Michele (Missy) Avila, whose body was found in a creek in the Angeles National Forest on Oct. 4, 1985. Amaya traveled from the California Youth Authority facility in Chino to testify against Doyle.

One of two women accused of murder in the 1985 slaying of an Arleta teen-ager pleaded not guilty Monday in Glendale Municipal Court. Laura Doyle, 21, is accused of drowning Michelle Y. Avila, 17, in a creek in the Angeles National Forest after a jealous argument about a boyfriend, said Deputy Dist. Atty. John Paul Bernardi. Bernardi said Avila allegedly drove with Doyle to a creek near Colby Canyon Road on Oct. 2, 1985.

Two women were arrested Wednesday in the 1985 slaying of a 17-year-old Arleta teen-ager, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said. Karen Severson, 20, and Laura Doyle, 21, were arrested on suspicion of killing Michel Avila, Deputy Eric Smith said. Avila's body was discovered by hikers in Angeles National Forest Oct. 4, 1985, two days after her family reported her missing, Smith said. The two suspects and Avila were acquaintances, Smith said.

Two Arleta women were sentenced to 15 years to life today for the murder of a 17-year-old high school classmate who was drowned in a mountain creek because the killers believed she was having affairs with their boyfriends. Karen Severson and Laura Doyle, both 22, stared forward and showed no emotion when sentenced by Pasadena Superior Court Judge Jack B. Tso. The women were convicted Jan. 31 of the second-degree murder of Michele (Missy) Avila who was drowned Oct.