A husband charged with the murder of his wife appeared in court Monday, emotionless as his attorney pleaded not guilty on his behalf.
Jose De Jesus Hernandez Cruz, 43, is accused of fatally stabbing the 38-year-old mother of his five children on Dec. 29. In court Monday, he was held on $2M bail.
Cruz listened to the charges through an interpreter.
The stabbing happened at the family's home on the 2500 block of I Avenue. When officers arrived, they said they found the mother Angelica Maria Hernandez unresponsive, laying face down. She was pronounced dead at the scene after attempts to resuscitate were unsuccessful, police said.
In court, prosecutors described the 911 case made by Cruz on the night of the stabbing. When asked by the operator if he needed an ambulance, Cruz said, it's too late, according to the prosecutor.
The couple has five children together, ages four to 16-years-old. At the time of the stabbing, the children were staying with family in Tijuana and are with their family members now.
When police arrived, they found the suspect with blood on his hands and found his wife face down with a stab wound to her chest. Cruz was taken into custody and booked into the San Diego Central Detention Facility on allegations of murder.
Cruz has no criminal past, but lives primarily in Mexico, which is why the judge set his bail at $2 million, as he might be a flight risk.
His next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 29.
