SAN DIEGO -- A former East County security guard who told co-workers he would kill his estranged wife and dump her body where no one would ever find it was sentenced Friday to 25 years to life in prison for her murder.

James Dailey (pictured, right), 36, showed no emotion during the hearing, although he did look at members of Guadalupe "Lupe" Dailey's family as they spoke of the former Santee woman.

The defendant was convicted of first-degree murder for killing his spouse more than four years ago.

The 29-year-old mother of two was last seen the night of Aug. 31, 1997. Her body has never been found.

Video

Victim's Family Confronts Dailey

The victim's sister, Rose Keene, and her husband, Johnny (pictured, left), implored Dailey to tell them where he dumped his wife's body so they could give her a proper burial.

Outside court, Deputy District Attorney Dan Goldstein said it is tough to reason with someone who commits such an act of violence.

"He's a murderer," the prosecutor said. "Maybe one day he'll come to his senses and help 'em out."

Goldstein told a jury that Dailey told 10-15 people in the two months before his wife disappeared he was going to kill her.

Witnesses testified that Dailey talked about strangling his wife. He told one person he would strap weights to his spouse and toss her into the ocean.

The defendant told another person that he would strangle "Lupe" Dailey in bed while they were having sex, or slit her throat or shoot her.

Timothy Rowan, who worked security with the defendant at the Viejas Indian Casino, testified that Dailey blamed his wife for their money problems.

Dailey was also upset after his young daughter told him her mother had men stay overnight at her apartment, Rowan testified.

Another Viejas co-worker, Robert Boyle, testified that Dailey talked about "snipering off" his wife and throwing a plugged-in radio into her bath.

Boyle said Dailey seemed "stressed out" and would be late for work because his wife would leave him to make last-minute day care plans for his daughter and young son.

Defense attorney Michael Begovich argued during the trial that there was no direct evidence linking his client to a murder.

Begovich said Dailey's statements to co-workers about wanting to kill his spouse amounted to "venting."

The defendant's sister, Wanda Dailey (pictured, right) of Indiana, told the judge her brother was a "devoted and loving father."

She said Guadalupe Dailey talked to a friend the night before she disappeared about what would happen if she turned up missing.

"For whatever reason, Lupe chose to leave on her own," the sister said.

Outside court, Wanda Dailey repeated her claims that Guadalupe Dailey is missing, not dead.

"We don't believe she's murdered," Wanda Dailey said. "We believe she's out there."

James Dailey told detectives that he arranged for a babysitter the night of Aug. 31, 1997 so he could "cool off" after an argument with his wife.

The defendant told authorities he put his boat in the water and motored around Mission Bay, but investigators checked and found the boat inoperable, Goldstein said.

"The defendant never went out in that boat that night," the prosecutor said.

The victim's checkbook -- with a receipt from Aug. 30 -- also was found in the boat, Goldstein said.

Witnesses testified that "Lupe" Dailey was afraid of the water.

The defendant's youngest sister, Sharon Smith, accused authorities of framing her brother.

"I personally feel that (the checkbook) was planted," Smith told the judge Friday.

Months after his wife disappeared, James Dailey moved to Indiana with his two children. He lived in Muncie with his sister until his arrest last March.

Begovich said Dailey was close to graduating from Ball State University with a degree in English.

"I don't have the energy to hate you," Rose Keene told the defendant before he was sentenced. "You took (Guadalupe's) life because of your jealousy."