The Denver District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday that formal charges have been filed against a man who is accused of strangling his girlfriend.
Jose Vallejo-Cano, 25, was charged with first-degree murder after deliberation, according to a news release from the Denver District Attorney’s Office.
when he was arrested as a suspect in the fatal strangulation of 23-year-old Araceli Esparza Miranda.
Miranda’s body was found Oct. 29 on the 4800 block of Kingston Street in the back seat of an SUV, according to an arrest affidavit in the case.
Vallejo-Cano was found at the scene hiding behind a trash bin.
The victim’s mother had called police at about 4:15 a.m. Saturday, expressing concern for her daughter’s safety after Vallejo-Cano had removed a monitored ankle bracelet and the victim’s family was notified. Miranda was also the victim in the earlier domestic violence case involving Vallejo-Cano.
He was arrested Oct. 2 in Aurora in a domestic violence case for allegedly choking Miranda, according to the affidavit. Aurora police responding to the domestic violence case said Miranda was found lying on the floor of hallway moaning in pain and saying: “Help me, help me, I can’t breath.”
Vallejo-Cano, who was at the scene in Aurora, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault. On Oct. 5, Vallejo-Cano was released from the Arapahoe County Jail after posting $30,000 bail.
A restraining order was placed against him from seeing Miranda and he was ordered to wear a GPS ankle bracelet.
Vallejo-Cano remains in custody in the Denver Detention Center where he is being held without bond. His next court date has not been set.
