New Mexico man sentenced in murder of Army veteran girlfriend whose remains were found 2 years later in Nevada desert

A New Mexico man was sentenced to 33 years in jail Thursday for the 2019 homicide of his girlfriend, a retired U.S. Military veteran whose stays had been discovered almost two years later within the Nevada desert.

The New Mexico Lawyer Common’s Workplace mentioned 61-year-old Jerry Jay of Farmington was sentenced after pleading responsible to second-degree homicide and kidnapping.

They mentioned it was the primary case prosecuted underneath the murdered and lacking indigenous particular person invoice handed final yr.

Prosecutors mentioned Cecilia Finona, a 59-year-old Farmington resident of Navajo descent, was reported lacking by her household in June 2019.

Her stays had been present in February 2021 in a distant desert culvert simply exterior of Las Vegas and recognized by DNA testing.

Finona’s household says she retired in 2019 as an Military grasp sergeant after 31 years of service and Jay was her boyfriend.

Authorities mentioned Jay struck Finona on the top with a blunt object after an argument on Could 31, 2019 and he put the sufferer within the backseat of her truck.

Finona bled to loss of life as Jay drove by Arizona, Nevada and California, utilizing her debit card alongside the best way to pay for brand new truck tires and gasoline earlier than dumping the physique, based on prosecutors.

They mentioned Jay was later arrested for stealing the debit card and allegedly informed a jailmate that he had killed Finona.

Jay “not solely killed in chilly blood however took each step on his energy to attempt to get away with it,” mentioned Mark Probasco, deputy director of prosecutions of the legal professional normal’s workplace.

Monetary data plus video and forensic proof related Jay to the homicide, authorities mentioned. Probasco additionally famous there have been “blood tracks” on a driveway linking Jay to the crime.

“Jerry Jay took a brilliant gentle from the world in 2019 and for that, he acquired the sentence that he deserves,” New Mexico Lawyer Common Raúl Torrez mentioned after the sentencing. “I thank our prosecution workforce together with the San Juan County prosecutors for his or her dedication to this case and to Cecilia.”

Steven Barber, Finona’s brother, informed KOAT-TV that He moved into his sister’s residence in January.

“Typically I discuss to her,” Barber mentioned. ” I’m going by the door and say, ‘Good morning, sister. How are you doing?’ I believe she’s nonetheless right here. That is what I believe. It offers me consolation, [especially] realizing that she’s not on the market anymore.”