California man convicted of killing his wife after her birthday celebration

TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (TCN) -- Prosecutors recently secured a guilty verdict against a 44-year-old man they say killed his wife who went missing nearly a decade ago.

The Tulare County District Attorney's Office announced that a jury found Francisco Valdivia guilty on July 2 of first-degree murder and felony arson in connection with the death of his wife, Cecilia Cabrera. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 25 and faces life in prison.

According to prosecutors, Valdivia and Cabrera got married in Fresno in 2008, but they didn't live together or have children. Multiple people close to the couple reportedly said the "marriage was for immigration purposes."

The district attorney's office said the defendant was in a relationship with 46-year-old Rosalina Lopez, and they had four children and lived in Goshen. Valdivia became close with Cabrera over time and allegedly paid some of her bills and rent.

Cabrera picked up the defendant on the night of June 8, 2016, to celebrate her upcoming birthday at the Tachi Palace. They reportedly gambled and then left shortly after 12 a.m. Several hours later, the Tulare County Fire Department responded to a vehicle engulfed in flames in Traver and learned it belonged to Cabrera. Her family reported her missing, but Cabrera has never been found.

According to the district attorney's office, Valdivia erased phone calls made to his wife. Detectives also observed scratches on his arm during an interview.

Valdivia reportedly said he spent the rest of the evening at home after Cabrera drove off. However, authorities said Valdivia's cell phone data didn't corroborate his statement. His phone was reportedly near the burning vehicle between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m.

Prosecutors allege Valdivia once "threatened to kill Cabrera if she were to leave him or begin a relationship with another man."

Lopez pleaded no contest in December 2020 to being an accessory after the face and received three years in county jail.

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