SAN DIEGO -- An Imperial Beach man who stabbed his estranged wife and her fiance after following them to a Mountain View liquor store was sentenced Monday to life in prison plus 17 years.

Miguel Angel Delvalle, 49, was convicted Feb. 3 of premeditated attempted murder for repeatedly stabbing Eddie Jenkins inside Mike's Market on Ocean View Boulevard the morning of April 21, 2009.

Jurors also found Delvalle guilty of attempted murder for chasing down and stabbing his estranged wife, Gypsy.

Deputy District Attorney Dan Link told Judge Jeffrey Fraser Monday that Delvalle "trapped" the victims so they couldn't escape by popping the tires on their car.

Delvalle stabbed Jenkins in the store, then hunted Gypsy down "like an animal" for a block and a half before catching her and stabbing her in the face and neck, the prosecutor said.

Defense attorney Kathleen Lee told the judge that Delvalle was "wounded and broken" because he had been taunted by the victims "over and over again."

According to court testimony, Delvalle was upset because he thought his estranged wife was going to marry a child molester.

Fraser said Delvalle had a history of domestic violence but had never shown the kind of violence he displayed while stabbing the victims.

"He exploded, there's no question," the judge said. "He reacted in an incredibly violent manner."

Fraser said he felt "terrible" for the defendant's two younger children because they won't be able to see their father for a long time while he's in prison.

Link said Delvalle had an escalating criminal record, beginning with 1993 and 1995 misdemeanor convictions for resisting arrest and violating a restraining order, respectively, and a 2008 felony conviction for domestic violence.

In his closing argument, Link said Delvalle wanted revenge on Gypsy for embarrassing him and leaving him. He also plotted to retaliate against Jenkins for getting into a relationship with her, Link said.

Lee told the jury that Delvalle and Gypsy were a couple for many years and had a child together before Jenkins entered the picture in 2007 and "everything goes crazy."

The prosecution conceded that Gypsy wrote the defendant letters that messed with his emotions, telling him she wanted to get back with him, but Link said that was not a defense for the crimes he committed.