Where is Juan Figueroa Jr. now? ‘Dateline’ has the story

In March 2018, 34-year-old Rita Gutierrez-Garcia was out with friends in Longmont, Colorado to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day when she disappeared. Accordingly CBS NewsHer remains were eventually found four years later “east of Longmont in Weld County,” when a man named Juan Figueroa Jr. told police where he buried her. With no identification, authorities had to use DNA evidence to determine it was Gutierrez-Garcia’s body. Where is Juan Figueroa, Jr. now? date line has the story.

Figueroa is currently serving a 48-year sentence for the kidnapping and murder of Gutierrez-Garcia Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility. The Longmont Guide reported that Figueroa “pled guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.” His plea deal said Figueroa could serve his sentence concurrently with a 93-year sentence, which he already broke when he was charged with Gutierrez-Garcia’s murder. His other sentence was for sexually assaulting an unidentified Longmont woman.

The plea deal was also associated with special conditions. Figueroa was required to provide a “written confession and videotaped interview” and “information to assist in locating and recovering Gutierrez-Garcia’s remains.” Diane Romero, Gutierrez-Garcia’s mother, read a moving statement about the victim’s impact at the sentencing hearing. “My God says forgive as He has forgiven us, but I believe God also knows I’m human and forgiveness is a difficult thing and nowhere near in sight,” she said. “Now I have a kind of peace knowing she won’t be missed anymore.”

Figueroa struck up a conversation with Gutierrez-Garcia the night he killed her. In his confession, Figueroa said he was attracted to her, but she didn’t reciprocate and declined. Later in the evening, when Figueroa saw Gutierrez-Garcia alone, he thought he would try again. At that point, she called him a “maniac,” and by Figueroa’s own admission, he snapped.

Figueroa punched Gutierrez-Garcia, knocking her unconscious. He then dragged himself to his truck, where he “attacked and choked her to death.” Longmont Guide. During his sentencing, Figueroa attempted to blame local police for his actions, citing the fact that they pulled him over for drunk driving earlier in the night but never arrested him. “Why didn’t that cop arrest me that night?” he asked. “I wouldn’t be here to look at murder allegations.”

The judge overseeing Figueroa’s sentencing ensured that only Figueroa was responsible for his actions that night. “You killed a beautiful, innocent woman who was struck by bad luck,” the judge told him. “There’s no rational explanation… You get a reduced sentence; Rita’s family learns about what happened to her. Is that justice? By law, sure. Is it deserved 48 years? Absolutely.”

Figueroa, in turn, turned to the Gutierrez-Garcia family. “I’m sorry for the victim. I’m really sorry for all of you,” he said through tears. “I have a mother. My mother is the only one who raised me all my life. I never had a father and I love my mother very much. I’m sorry I took Rita from you.

For more information about this story, see date line Friday, March 10 at 9:00 p.m. EST on NBC.