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Salinas man charged in the death of estranged wife

Josefino Cayetano Maldonado, 41, of Salinas
Ventura County Sheriff's Office
Josefino Cayetano Maldonado, 41, of Salinas

OXNARD, Calif. - A Salinas man accused of killing his estranged wife has been charged with murder.

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced Wednesday that Josefino Maldonado, 41, of Salinas has been charged with the murder of Eudelia Gonzalez, 46, of Oxnard.

Maldonado was arrested last week after Gonzalez' body was found down an embankment near the Gaviota tunnel in Santa Barbara County. She was reported missing under suspicious circumstances just a few days before after she was seen getting into a car with an unknown person.

A warrant was issued to search Maldonado's home and police said the man confessed to killing his wife.

Maldonado appeared in court on Tuesday and is due back in court on Aug. 10.

He is currently being held without bail at the Ventura County Jail.

The crime remains under investigation. Investigators are still working to determine where Eudelia Gonzalez was killed but detective believe the crime happened outside of the city of Oxnard.

Anyone with information about her death is urged to contact the Oxnard Police Department at 805-385-7600.

Article Topic Follows: Santa Barbara - South County

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