A Fresno man was convicted on Tuesday of fatally stabbing a 21-year-old UCLA student from Austin, Texas, during a burglary and deliberately setting her Westwood apartment on fire, among other charges, authorities said.
Alberto Hinojosa Medina, 24, was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder that was committed during a burglary, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Andrea DelVesco, a fourth-year UCLA student, was fatally stabbed on Sept. 21, 2015, in the 10900 block of Roebling Street, authorities said.
Medina initially burglarized another apartment, then entered DelVesco’s apartment and fatally stabbed her. Before escaping, Medina set the student’s apartment on fire.
Firefighters found the body of DelVesco, who was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority, inside of the apartment
The DA’s office said jurors spent six hours deliberating before they convicted Medina of murder and four additional counts: arson of an occupied structure, two counts of first-degree burglary, and one animal cruelty count.
Sentencing for Medina is scheduled for July 20 and he faces life in state prison without parole.
In December 2017, Eric Marquez pleaded guilty to a single count of first-degree burglary and accessory after the fact and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 7.
Marquez will face a maximum sentence of two years and eight months in prison, authorities said.
The Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division investigated the case.