REDWOOD CITY (BCN) — A jury convicted a 51-year-old San Francisco man Thursday of first-degree murder in the death of his 36-year-old girlfriend in San Bruno in 2013, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Alberto Trejo killed San Bruno resident Cecilia Zamora with a single bullet to the back of the head. Zamora was missing for about two months before her body was found in the storage unit of an apartment complex on Gateway Drive in Pacifica, according to prosecutors.
The jury deliberated for less than three hours at the end of an 18-day trial before finding Trejo guilty, prosecutors said. A judge will sentence Trejo September 4 to anywhere from 91 years to life in prison, according to prosecutors.
San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said police found Zamora’s blood on a blanket in the back seat of her Chevrolet Impala, on a mattress in her bedroom and on a bedroom doorknob.
He said police did not use DNA evidence to link Trejo to the crime and Trejo always denied any involvement in the killing. Police have not found the gun, Wagstaffe said.
Trejo made three calls to Zamora’s roommate from the women’s home sometime after 1 p.m. Feb. 13, 2013. Wagstaffe said in the last one he said to her, “It popped off,” possibly referring to his gun.
Trejo told her to get back to the home and when she arrived she found Trejo holding clothes near the washer and dryer, Wagstaffe said.
“Where’s Cecilia?” she asked. Trejo said that she left.
Wagstaffe said that was the last day anyone saw Zamora until transients found the body in their storage unit in a white plastic bag on April 26, 2013.
No one ever found any bloody clothes, Wagstaffe said.
He said the roommate found Zamora’s keys, purse, phone and makeup in their home, which was inconsistent with Zamora’s behavior.
He said a friend of the roommate found the Impala warm to the touch that day and when the pair asked Trejo why, he said, “It just won’t start.”
Wagstaffe said the pair believed Trejo’s statement to be a lie.
Trejo’s defense attorney Jonathan McDougall did not return a call today seeking comment.