MIAMI (AP) — A South Florida man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for killing his girlfriend by setting her on fire.
The Miami Herald reports that 49-year-old Jesus Alvarez was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty to murder as part of a deal with prosecutors.
Authorities say Alvarez beat Margarita Blanco at a Miami-Dade County mobile home in 2011 before dousing her with gasoline and burning her.
Alverez said in court that he had been on drugs and caught Blanco cheating on him. A defense attorney added that Alverez eventually tried to put the fire out, burning his own hands in the process.