Man Sentenced to Life in Prison

Convicted of Attempted Murder and Sexual Assault

A man charged with Attempted Murder and Sexual Assault has been sentenced to life in prison with eligibility for parole after 15 years. Jose Xochihua previously pled guilty to the charges, following an attack upon his ex-girlfriend.

Sparks Police initially responded to a report of a domestic disturbance on April 12, 2022. When officers arrived at the apartment, they noticed that the victim’s garage door had damage to it, as if hit by a car. The victim, a 40-year-old woman, was inside the home and suffering from extensive injuries to her neck and face. The victim told police that Xochihua was her ex-boyfriend and that while she was elsewhere in the home, he rammed his car into her garage to get inside. The defendant then found the woman in the kitchen, where he proceeded to strangle her until she lost consciousness. She said when she woke up, Xochihua was sexually assaulting her, and she fought back, prompting the defendant to leave. The victim was taken to the hospital where she required surgery for a traumatic dissection of her carotid artery.

Xochihua was later apprehended in California, where he told police “I am confession to you… I just wanted to kill her.” This statement was similar to recordings from the victim’s home security cameras that caught the defendant saying “why don’t you die” and “just die” while strangling her.

Deputy District Attorney Richard Haas represented the State in this case. The Honorable Judge Kathleen Drakulich presided and imposed the sentence.