Man who killed beloved Salinas waitress gets sentenced to 18 years to life in state prison, DA’s office says
SALIANS, Calif. (KION-TV) – UPDATE ON MAY 16, 2024 AT 2:39 P.M.- The Monterey County District Attorney's Office said that a Salinas man got sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a Salinas mother in 2002.
On Thursday morning, 48-year-old Juan Gabriel Nunez was sentenced to 18 years, four months to life in state prison for the murder of Loretta Paluszynski according to Monterey County District Attorney Jeannine M. Pacioni.
The case started on Aug. 8, 2002. when Paluszynski was supposed to drop off her children with a babysitter.
When she never showed up, the babysitter alerted Salinas Police, saying it was out of the ordinary for Paluszynski to not show up according to the Monterey County District Attorney's Office.
Officers found Paluszynski dead in her home with multiple stab wounds, including a deep laceration across her throat, and a bloody knife was found near her body.
The Monterey County District Attorney's Office said that Paluszynski's two children were later located and found safe.
Pacioni said that neighbors in the area heard fighting and arguing in the early morning hours between the victim and the suspect who was identified as Juan Gabriel Nunez.
Investigators said that Nunez was the ex-boyfriend of Paluszynski.
According to Pacioni, Nunez's family told officers that Nunez showed up at their house covered in blood and said, “I did it, I did it.
Nunez fled to Mexico before he was arrested in 2021, according to Salinas Police.
Family of a local beloved waitress finally getting closure after she was murdered in 2002
The family of a woman who was murdered over 20 years ago, is finally getting some closure.
Loretta Paluszynski was found stabbed to death in her Salinas home in 2002. On April 11, 2024 the suspect in her death, Juan Gabriel Nunez, pled guilty to second degree murder, first degree burglary and felony child abuse, according to the Monterey County District Attorney.
Police tell KION that Paluszynski was a beloved waitress in the community. In 2002, her death came as a shock to many.
Loretta Paluszynski
Police say Nunez is the ex-boyfriend of Paluszynski, and is accused of stabbing her multiple times. Investigators say there is a "long history of documented domestic violence between the victim and Nunez."
Paluszynski was supposed to drop off her children with a babysitter on August 8, 2002. When she never showed up, the babysitter alerted police, saying it was out of the ordinary for Paluszynski to not show up.
That is when police issued a welfare check on Paluszynski’s home and found her dead. Her two children were later located and were safe.
Fast forward nearly 20 years later to 2021, that is when then 46-year-old Juan Gabriel Nunez was extradited to the U.S. from Mexico on September 8th.
Frank Paluszynski
Back in 2012, KION spoke with Loretta’s older brother, Frank Paluszynski. At the time, he said that he did not know where his sister’s two young children were taken to, only saying they were put into a witness protection program.
