A Tijuana judge sentenced José Alfredo Benítez Ochoa to 35 years in prison for the femicide of 21-year-old Lucero Rangel Aburto, whose body was found inside a refrigerator in January 2022. The sentence, handed down on May 28, bars any possibility of early release or sentence reductions.
Lucero’s remains were discovered in the Terrazas del Valle neighborhood, a residential area on Tijuana’s eastern edge. Forensic investigators determined she died from anoxemia caused by strangulation. Her body had been concealed inside the appliance at the scene.
Witnesses Placed Defendant With Victim
Prosecutors built their case on forensic evidence and witness testimony. Multiple witnesses placed Benítez Ochoa with Lucero on the night she disappeared. The combination of physical evidence and eyewitness accounts proved sufficient for the court to convict him of femicide, a specific criminal charge under Mexican law reserved for gender-motivated killings of women.
Under Baja California’s penal code, femicide carries heavier penalties than standard homicide. The 35-year sentence with no possibility of reduction or early release reflects the severity of the charge. In Mexico, femicide convictions can carry sentences ranging from 20 to 60 years depending on the state and circumstances.
Femicide Remains a Persistent Problem in Baja California
The case is one of many femicide prosecutions in Tijuana in recent years. Baja California has faced sustained criticism over its high rate of gender-based killings. Mexico’s National Public Security System reported more than 1,900 killings of women nationwide from January to November 2022 alone, with 858 classified as femicides.
Several high-profile Tijuana femicide cases have drawn international attention, including the 2022 arrest of a California man accused of killing multiple sex workers in the city’s Zona Norte district and the 2021 murder of a nightclub worker by a former U.S. college athlete.
Lucero Rangel Aburto was 21 years old at the time of her death. The case took more than three years to reach sentencing. Benítez Ochoa will serve his full 35-year term in a Baja California state prison with no option for early release.
The case was first reported by Punto Norte.