Case # 10HF1962
Date: April 27, 2016
MAN TO FACE TRIAL FOR 2009 STRANGLING-MURDER OF WOMAN AFTER BEING LINKED TO CRIME THROUGH DNA
SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man is scheduled to face trial for strangling and murdering a woman in 2009 after being linked to the crime through DNA. Gabino Baldivia-Guzman, 37, Costa Mesa, and his brother, Zenaido Baldivia-Guzman, 30, Santa Ana, are each charged with one felony count of special circumstances murder with sentencing enhancements for murder during the commission of a kidnapping. The defendants each face a minimum sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole. Gabino Baldivia-Guzman is scheduled for a pre-trial hearing June 24, 2016, at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-5, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
Opening statements in the case of People v. Zenaido Baldivia-Guzman are scheduled to begin this afternoon, Wednesday, April 27, 2016, at 1:30 p.m. in Department C-43, Central Justice Center.
Circumstances of the Case
Late on the night of Sept. 4, 2009, brothers Zenaido Baldivia-Guzman and Gabino Baldivia-Guzman are accused of picking up Jane Doe in Santa Ana. Gabino Baldivia-Guzman is accused of driving the van and Zenaido Baldivia-Guzman is accused of sitting in the back, out of sight from the victim. Jane Doe began to panic after getting into the van and discovering the second man inside. When Jane Doe began to scream and attempted to get away, Zenaido Baldivia-Guzman is accused of pulling her into the back of the van and repeatedly hitting her in the face and neck as she struggled to escape. Gabino Baldivia-Guzman is accused of continuing to drive as Zenaido Baldivia-Guzman physically assaulted the victim.
Zenaido Baldivia-Guzman is accused of strangling and murdering Jane Doe. Gabino Baldivia-Guzman is accused of driving his brother and the victim to an industrial business parking lot at the 1800 block of Kettering in Irvine. The two defendants are accused of dumping the victim’s body in the parking lot, dousing her with gasoline from a canister in the van, and setting her body on fire. They are accused of taking the victim’s cell phone and fleeing the scene. Jane Doe’s identity is still unknown. The Irvine Police Department investigated this case.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Cynthia Herrera of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.