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Ex-Boyfriend Arrested In Santa Ana Woman's Slaying

SANTA ANA (CBSLA.com)— A 24-year-old man was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder Thursday for allegedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend to death in Santa Ana earlier this week.

Luis Antonio Garcia Morales was taken into custody around 9 a.m. near First and Bristol streets in connection to the death of 21-year-old Maria Cerrillo.

Authorities received a tip the suspect would be in the area.

The victim's body was found in an alley in the 200 block of North Laurel Street Tuesday night.

Police said she had been stabbed multiple times.

Morales was named a person of interest in the incident on Wednesday after authorities spoke with Cerrillo's family and friends.

"She had a feeling that sooner or later something would happen to her. It's like she knew she was going to die," said the victim's friend, Stephanie Jimenez.

Santa Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said, "The victim and (the suspect) had a relationship in the past, and it's our belief that he's been contacting her in an attempt to rekindle the relationship, which she had no interest in doing."

Bertagna also said officials discovered Morales sold his Toyota Camry in Garden Grove, which meant he was possibly raising money to flee the country.

Morales remains jailed on $1.1 million bail.

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Ex-Boyfriend Called 'Person Of Interest' In Santa Ana Woman's Slaying

(©2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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