Murder case moves forward as Tulare County mother still missing

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Monday, Tulare County Sheriff's Detective Daniel McBride testified that although there have been tips in the case of Cecilia Cabrera, from Porterville to Lodi, there's still no trace of the missing mother.

Throughout the last year, he's stayed in contact with her family-mainly her mother, Raquel Zamora.

"Well we haven't heard nothing from her," Zamora said. "It's already a year."

On the one-year anniversary of her daughter's disappearance, in June, Zamora held a rosary at her home in Shafter.

Monday, she drove to the Tulare County Courthouse in Visalia, hoping for answers, while still praying she'll be able to see her daughter again. She was wearing a shirt with pictures of her daughter and writing in Spanish.

"(It says) God will do justice, and pray for those who participated in my disappearance," Zamora said. "It's just like a little prayer."

Cecilia Cabrera was last seen leaving Tachi Palace in Lemoore just before midnight on June 8th of 2016-with her husband, Francisco Valdivia.

A week later, Valdivia was arrested on marijuana cultivation charges. After a months-long investigation into Cabrera's disappearance, the sheriff's office arrested Valdivia for murdering her and burning her car near Traver.

His significant other, Rosalina Lopez, was also charged with being an accessory to the murder after the fact. For their preliminary hearing on Monday, each had their own attorney and were assisted by Spanish interpreters.

Tulare County Sheriff's Sgt. Hector Rodriguez testified that Cabrera's mother told him that Valdivia once threatened to kill her daughter. He also spoke with Cabrera's roommate, who said before she disappeared, Cabrera was getting ready to end her marriage with Valdivia-they had been married since 2008.

Sgt. Rodriguez says he also asked Valdivia if he was involved in Cabrera's disappearance. Rodriguez says Valdivia initially told him, yes, but when asked again, said he was not.

Cabrera's mother says she isn't angry with Valdivia anymore. She's just sad that she still doesn't know where her daughter is, and if she'll ever come home.

"I'll forgive you guys but just tell me what you guys did with my daughter," Zamora said. "Give her back, if she's in God's hands, we can put her to rest, have a place for her."