On Dec. 23, officers with the La Habra Police Department announced that they had made an arrest in relation to the suspicious death of a Lompoc woman, found earlier in 2014.
On July 21, a man who was out walking his dog called the La Habra department to report finding a body. Investigating officers found what was later identified to be the body of Emma Posadas-Espinoza, 58, of Lompoc.
Almost exactly five months later, the Orange County Coroner’s Office gave the La Habra Police Department autopsy results: Posadas-Espinoza’s death was determined to be caused by asphyxiation. Further investigation led to the identification of a suspect, who was arrested on Dec. 23 with help from the Santa Maria Police Department.
Gabriel Espinoza of Santa Maria was arrested on suspicion of murder and taken to the Orange County Jail, where he was being held without bail.
His arraignment was set for Dec. 26, 2014, at the Orange County Central Justice Center.
That day, the Orange County District Attorney announced that Espinoza had been charged with one felony count of special circumstances murder for financial gain.
“If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole,” a press release from the district attorney reads. “The People requested he be held without bail at his arraignment today.”
Senior Deputy District Attorney Troy Pino of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting the case.
This article appears in Jan 1-8, 2015.