Sentencing was postponed today until April 9 for a man who stabbed his pregnant, estranged wife to death in front of the couple’s children more than three years ago in Chula Vista.
(Flickr/DonkeyHotey)
Jesus Arteaga Garcia, 31, was convicted last month of second-degree murder in the death of 28-year-old Maribel Arteaga, but jurors acquitted the defendant of a murder charge involving her unborn fetus.
The victim, a Customs and Border Protection agent, was two months pregnant with another man’s child at the time of the slaying.
Because the murder took place in front of the couple’s then-4- and 6-year-old sons, Garcia was also convicted of two misdemeanor counts of child abuse.
The victim’s boyfriend, Carlos Orga, also a CBP agent, testified that he was watching television with the victim on Dec. 10, 2009, when the defendant knocked on the door.
Orga said he got up and went to his bedroom while the victim answered the door.
While in the bedroom, Orga heard a commotion and a bang, then the injured victim came into the bedroom with her children, saying the defendant had stabbed her, he said.
Authorities said Garcia fled to Mexico after the slaying.
He was brought back to the United States in July 2011.
In order to ensure the extradition, U.S. authorities had to agree not to seek the death penalty.
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