CHULA VISTA, Calif. (CNS) - A Los Angeles County man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, who went missing and whose last known location was in south San Diego County, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a murder charge.
Eduardo Magana, 48, of La Puente, is accused in the death of 33-year-old Alexis Guadarrama, who went missing on July 14, according to Tijuana-based outlet BajaNews.
San Diego police said they began investigating a missing person report the following day and later "gathered facts that led them to believe the victim was deceased," SDPD Lt. Arturo Swadener said.
Police did not elaborate on what led them to believe Guadarrama is dead, nor what her suspected cause of death is.
A criminal complaint filed against Magana alleges he killed her on July 16, but does not detail how she died.
BajaNews reported that Guadarrama was last seen driving a vehicle on Outer Road in the Palm City neighborhood of San Diego and that her belongings were later found in that vehicle. The outlet reported that she was not heard from after 2 a.m. on July 16, after which her cell phone was turned off.
Swadener said further investigation led police to believe Magana was involved in her disappearance, and he was arrested in the city of South Gate in Los Angeles County. County jail records indicate he was booked into San Diego County jail on Sunday.
While he was initially booked on suspicion of both murder and kidnapping, he is only facing a murder count in the criminal complaint filed this week. Magana, who remains in custody without bail, faces up to 25 years to life in state prison if convicted.
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