A Simi Valley man was sentenced Wednesday after stabbing his girlfriend over 30 times and assaulting her mother.
Euren Balbuena, 33, faces 33 years to life in prison for three felony convictions, including the murder of his girlfriend Zaira Patino-Trejo, 31, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.
On Feb. 27, 2020, Balbuena and his girlfriend got into an argument inside their Simi Valley apartment.
Aware of a history of domestic violence in the relationship, the victim’s mother went to the couple’s apartment when she couldn’t get ahold of her daughter, authorities said.
At the apartment, the mother found signs of abuse on Patino-Trejo’s face. As she tried to leave with her daughter, Balbuena would not let them out of the apartment. He then grabbed a kitchen knife and began swinging it at the victim’s mother, court documents said.
Balbuena slashed the mother twice in the head before turning and stabbing Patino-Trejo.
“He stabbed her more than 30 times with several knives, killing her,” said the DA’s office.
Bleeding heavily, the mother ran out of the apartment to flag down a passerby for help, telling them her daughter was dead.
The bystander, who did not wish to be identified, told KTLA that the mother had large lacerations on her face and was crying while bleeding profusely.
Simi Valley Police officers arrived at the scene and arrested Balbuena who had remained inside the apartment.
Police said it appeared officers had responded to the apartment on previous occasions, but did not elaborate on the circumstances.
“Zaira Patino-Trejo was such a vibrant young woman with a bright future,” said Melissa Suttner, Supervising Senior Deputy District Attorney. “We cannot replace her unimaginable loss, but we pursued justice for Zaira and her family. We hope that this sentence brings some small relief to her family, knowing that Euren Balbuena was held accountable for her brutal murder.”
Balbuena was convicted by a jury on Nov. 21, 2023, of the first-degree murder of Patino-Trejo, battery causing great bodily injury, and assault with a deadly weapon against Patino-Trejo’s mother.
The jury also found two special allegations to be true — that Balbuena personally used a knife in the killing and caused great bodily injury in the commission of a felony. He faces 33 years to life in prison.