Salinas man pleads guilty to strangling, stabbing his girlfriend to death in August 2023
SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) -- A Salinas man is expected to be sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for stabbing and strangling his girlfriend to death in August 2023.
Edgar Romero Zaragoza entered the guilty plea in court this week, according to the Monterey County District Attorney's Office.
The D.A. said Zaragoza killed Irma Garcia-Ruiz at a home on the 500 block of Stevenson Street in Salinas.
On August 29, the D.A. said Zaragoza tried escaping the scene after another person visiting the home discovered Garcia-Ruiz's body was wrapped in sheets and clothing.
The D.A. said Salinas Police tracked down Zaragoza and during an interview with detectives, Zaragoza admitted to strangling Garcia-Ruiz with a cellphone cord and stabbing her with a pair of scissors four times because she "laughed at him" during a fight the morning of her killing.
Zaragoza's next court date is on February 6, 2024 for a setting hearing to determine a date to have him sentenced to prison.
DA: Salinas mother allegedly killed by boyfriend with phone cord on Stevenson Street
The man allegedly responsible for killing his girlfriend on Stevenson Street earlier in the week made his first court appearance on Thursday.
The Monterey County District Attorney's Office filed its arraignment complaint and charged suspected murderer Edgar Romero Zaragoza, 25, with wilful, deliberate and premeditated murder. There was an enhancement to the charge for the use of a deadly weapon.
In their complaint, the district attorney's office alleges that Zaragoza, "personally used a deadly, and dangerous weapon(s), to wit, phone cord... and causing the above offense to be a serious felony."
Salinas Police added she was also stabbed.
Zaragoza is alleged to have killed Irma Garcia-Ruiz, 28, inside a home on the 500 block of Stevenson Street. Her sister says Ruiz was the mother of a 2.5-year-old boy.
He is scheduled for further arraignment on September 5.
Irma's family has started a gofundme to help with funeral expenses, you can donate here.
ORIGINAL STORY
Salinas Police are investigating a homicide that resulted in the death of a 28-year-old woman Tuesday morning.
Police were dispatched to the 500 block of Stevenson Street near McAllister Street around 8:30 a.m. to reports of a man running down the street saying someone had just killed in a house.
When police arrived they found a woman suffering from life-threatening injuries inside the home. She was taken to the hospital and later died of her injuries.
Police did not say how she was injured. They added there were no reported gunshots.
A second caller said that a man was running from the area heading toward Davis westbound. Police said they found suspect Edgar Zaragoza, 25, around a mile and a half from the crime scene in the Boronda area.
Police said Zaragoza was "very tired and out of breath" when they found him. He was identified as the man who was running from the area and fled from the residence.
Police say Zaragoza and the female victim were in a romantic relationship. He was booked into Monterey County Jail for murder and his bail was set at $1,000,000.
The victim was identified by the Monterey County Sheriff's Office as Irma Garcia-Ruiz, 28, from Salinas.
This is the second woman this year killed by her romantic partner in Salinas.
Read more: Man suspected of murdering mother of his children in Salinas pleads not guilty
