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Man who killed ex-wife with truck sentenced to 20 years behind bars

A man who killed his ex-wife by intentionally running her down with his pickup truck in a jealous rage in Chula Vista is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday at the South Bay courthouse. Cesar Casti...
Man who killed ex-wife with truck sentenced to 20 years behind bars
CHULA VISTA (CNS) - A man who killed his ex-wife by intentionally running her down with his pickup truck in a jealous rage in Chula Vista was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years to life behind bars.

Cesar Castillo Vallejo, 38, pleaded guilty in May to second-degree murder and other charges in the death last Nov. 28 of Leonor Castillo.

"My daughter didn't deserve this," the victim's mother said. "I hate him and I want him to pay."

Authorities said Castillo repeatedly ran over his 37-year-old ex-wife with his 1998 Chevrolet Silverado in the 1100 block of Elm Avenue about 7 p.m. She died at the scene.

Deputy District Attorney Christy Bowles said the ex-spouses had met up earlier that day to go shopping. Afterward, he struck her with his white pickup truck once, "then drove down the street, made a U-turn, repositioned his truck and came back and ran over the victim a second time, killing her," Bowles said.

Castillo was on probation at the time for violating a protective order filed by the victim. He had also threatened her boyfriend, according to Bowles.

Castillo, a maintenance man who worked in the Mission Bay area, fled to Mexico following the victim's death. He initially tried to take his children, ages 10, 8 and 3 with him, but the victim's mother persuaded him to leave them behind.

He surrendered at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on Dec. 1.

The couple's 12-year marriage ended over a year before her murder. Bowles said the defendant was hoping to reconcile with the victim but became jealous and angry because she had a boyfriend.

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