The Maricopa County Attorney office announced on Thursday the sentencing of Gilbert Villareal to 50 years in prison for the violent murder of his wife and their unborn child.

On March 26, 2012, Phoenix Police arrived at an apartment complex where they discovered Villareal’s 22-year-old pregnant wife deceased from 38 stab wounds. Her two-year-old son was standing beside her, crying. Through the investigation, law enforcement learned that this incident was the culmination of more than a year of domestic violence incidents where the defendant terrorized, manipulated, and abused the victim, who was attempting to leave the relationship when she was murdered.

Following the incident, Villareal fled to Mexico where his whereabouts were unknown until December 21, 2016, when he was arrested for yet another violent incident of domestic violence. Villareal was convicted in Mexico and sentenced to prison, after which he was extradited back to the U.S. to face the charges in Maricopa County.

Earlier this month, Villareal pleaded guilty to two Arizona counts of second-degree murder, both class one dangerous felonies. The defendant also received five lifetime injunctions, preventing any type of contact with the victim’s family including his own son.

“Finding a way to bring this defendant back to the U.S. to face his crimes was a particularly challenging process. Our lawyers and support staff were relentless in their efforts to ensure he was located and returned here,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. She added, “Remember, a two-year-old child witnessed this awful crime. I hope that one day, when he is old enough to understand, he will recognize there were dozens of people on his side, fighting for justice.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, please call or text the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit www.thehotline.org