He then put her body in a trash can and set it on fire.
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This disturbing tragedy has police reflecting on this past year of similar cases of violence.
"Four very heinous incidents. Four of the most horrible murders I've ever heard of in my 25 years in law enforcement," said Fresno Police Chief Paco Balderrama.
The chief is referring to the following three other cases.
On May 3, police say two children under the age of two were killed in an arson fire set by their own uncle, Filimon Hurtado.
Their mother was severely burned but survived. Hurtado is awaiting trial for the murders.
On July 6, 7-year-old Issac Vallejo died in an arson fire in central Fresno.
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The suspects doused the front and back doors with accelerant, then torched it.
Those responsible have not been identified or arrested.
More recently, on Sept. 24, authorities say a young woman, Yanelly Solorio Rivera, and her newborn daughter were shot and killed by her sister.
Her sister and her boyfriend are being charged for both murders.
"The fact that we've had 5 babies murdered in this fashion in the last year is something that keeps me up at night. Something I think about all the time," said Balderrama.
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Three of the four cases, including the latest one, involved domestic violence.
"We can't put a police officer or a counselor in every home so it is very frustrating and you think to yourself 'what could we have done?'" said Balderrama.
He says all officers and advocates can do is educate people about the resources available to victims -- to get them out of those situations before it's too late.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 800-799-7233.
Anyone with information about the arson fire that killed Vallejo in central Fresno on July 6 should call Fresno Police or Valley CrimeStoppers at 559-498-7867.