*CRIMINAL CASE UPDATE*

MAN SENTENCED TO 15 TO LIFE FOR MURDER OF TEEN WHO WAS TORTURED AND ROBBED

RIVERSIDE - An Upland man was sentenced today, Nov. 13, 2009, to 15 years to life in prison for his part in the 2003 murder of an 18-year-old girl who was tortured and robbed.

Victor Aaron Alburto Lozada, DOB: 9-3-73, is the third and final defendant to be convicted and sentenced in the August 2003 murder of 18-year-old Jessica de la Torre. The victim was tortured and robbed before her body was left in a secluded field in the unincorporated area of Rubidoux in Riverside County.

Jesus Guadalupe Velazquez Penuelas, 26, was previously convicted of first-degree murder and in August 2008 sentenced to death. Sergio Rojas Arias, 25, was also convicted in the murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Both are from Riverside.

The victim trusted Penuelas because they worked together at the same market before Penuelas hatched a plan to rob her of $7,000 she had been saving to buy a car. During the robbery and before the murder, Jessica was slashed at least nine times on her shoulders and legs to get her to reveal the PIN number for her ATM card. The defendants tried to use Jessica's ATM card to get to her money but did not succeed after trying at several banks.

Lozada drove a car and followed Penuelas to the secluded field where Jessica's body was dumped. Lozada then drove Penuelas to another location where Penuelas abandoned the de la Torre family car he had stolen. The two men then drove to meet with Arias who had been trying to use the stolen ATM card at various banks.

The case, RIF111846, was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Ambrosio Rodriguez.