Crescenta Valley, CA – A 33-year-old woman, Sheylla Gutierrez, who was reported missing in Lancaster, California, on Aug. 12, was found dead in Angeles National Forest on Aug. 16. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office has identified her husband, Jossimar Cabrera, 36, as the lead suspect in her death.
Gutierrez’s body was discovered by Crescenta Valley, Altadena, and Montrose Mountain Search and Rescue teams over the side of an embankment at around 10:00 a.m. local time. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death will be determined by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Authorities believe Cabrera has fled to Peru. Their three children were found safe in Peru and taken into protective custody on Aug. 16. The Sheriff’s Office also noted that video surveillance from Aug. 13 appeared to show Cabrera dragging a large object from the apartment they shared with Gutierrez and their children.
Gutierrez’s mother, Helga Rocillo, is urging U.S. authorities to help locate Cabrera. She spoke to ABC 7 from Peru, stating, “I’m very depressed, but I have to be strong for my grandchildren.”
Rocillo also told Latina Noticias that her daughter had planned to file a criminal report against her husband, claiming he had physically and psychologically abused her. “She told me that Jossimar Cabrera Cornejo hit her, mistreated her, and even slapped my youngest grandchild, who is 3 years old,” she said.
Gutierrez’s family claims Cabrera gave conflicting stories about her whereabouts throughout her disappearance. He reportedly told family members that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had taken her, then claimed she had left him for another man, and later said she had suffered an accident but refused to provide details.
The Peruvian consulate in Los Angeles confirmed Cabrera arrived in Peru with the couple’s three children. However, Peruvian authorities could not detain him because there was no arrest warrant.
Neighbors reported that Gutierrez had confided in them about her husband’s abusive behavior before her disappearance. One neighbor, Mario Sanchez, told NBC News Los Angeles, “He always seemed, like, mad all the time.”
Gutierrez’s parents said they last spoke to her on Aug. 9, when she told them she was planning to leave her husband and take the children with her.
The case is currently under review by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, which will determine whether murder charges can be filed against Cabrera and work to secure the necessary documents for his return to the United States.
