Man Who Killed Girlfriend With Sword Gets 36 Years To Life In State Prison

LANCASTER (CBSLA.com) — A man who killed his live-in girlfriend with a sword in front of her four children in Lancaster was sentenced Tuesday to 36 years to life in state prison.

Jesus Humberto Canales, 35, was convicted March 10 of first-degree murder for the July 12, 2008, stabbing death of Lucy Preciado.

Jurors also convicted him of four counts of child abuse involving the children, who were 7 months to 9 years old at the time.

The children – three of whom the couple had together – were left unattended at the scene with their 26-year-old dying mother, who was struck by the sword at least three times, Deputy District Attorney Seth Carmack said.

Preciado's then-9-year-old daughter called 911 to plead for help, telling a 911 operator that she didn't want her mom to die.

Canales fled and was subsequently profiled on the television show "America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back."

The Salvadoran native eluded capture until homicide detectives developed information that he might be residing in a small town in Jalisco, Mexico. He was detained in November 2013 by Mexican authorities, handed over to the U.S. Marshals Service and flown back to Los Angeles County.

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