By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-10-29 19:11:33 | Updated at 2024-10-30 21:28:15
1 day ago
A man accused of strangling his girlfriend and slashing her wrist before stuffing her body into a bin is the son of a famous sculptor.
Daniel Allen Aldrich, 49, was arrested outside the home of his mother Lynn Aldrich, 80, in Glendale, California, last Tuesday, and is now charged with murder.
Police found the body of his girlfriend Julie Anne Santera, 38, inside the garbage bin in the backyard of his home in Costa Mesa, Orange County, at 2.27pm last Tuesday.
Lynn Aldrich is a decorated contemporary sculptor who won Guggenheim and J Paul Getty Trust fellowships among numerous other awards.
Julie Anne Santera, 38, was found dead last Tuesday after landscapers discovered her body sticking out of a rubbish bin at her boyfriend's home
Daniel Allen Aldrich, the son of famous sculptor Lynn Aldrich (pictured), was arrested hours after Santera's body was found
Aldrich was charged with murder by the Orange County District Attorney's Office on Monday night with a felony enhancement for using a weapon.
He allegedly strangled Santera during a drunken argument on October 20, then slashed her wrist with a folding knife.
Whether the wrist cutting was to make sure she was dead, or an abortive attempt to make it look like a suicide, was not explained.
'Aldrich is accused of leaving Sanetra's body on the couch while he watched television before going to bed,' prosecutors said.
When he woke up the next day, he allegedly dragged her body outside and stuffed it in a trash can on the side of the house.
Then he went back inside, packed a bag, and drove to Lynn's home.
Aldrich, 49, was on Monday night charged with murder and held on a $1 million bond
Aldrich drove to his mother Lynn's home in Glendale, California, and was arrested outside when he gave himself up (pictured)
Santera was not found until October 22 when landscapers arrived to mow the lawn and saw part of her body sticking out of the bin.
They called the Costa Mesa Police Department and officers arrived, and later arrested Aldrich outside Lynn's home when he gave himself up.
Lynn had three sons, Jack, Matthew, and Daniel, with her husband Michael Aldrich, who died in 2017.
Michael has been president of The Fourteen Four Group, a charity that works with Christian ministries, since 1991 and Jack is an inventor in the robotics and machinery fields and worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Labratory.
Aldrich attended exhibitions of his mother's art, along with his brothers and other family. The family has several sizeable trusts supporting Lynn's sons.
Though Santera hasn't been active on social media since 2014, she often posted photos of her with a dog
Officers remained at the crime scene overnight, as police tape surrounded the home
The DA's office said Aldrich faced a maximum sentence of 26 years to life if convicted on all charges.
'Julie Sanetra did not deserve to be strangled and stuffed into a trashcan like a piece of garbage,' Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said.
'The callousness of this crime shocks the conscience, and we will do everything to get justice for Julie and her loved ones.'
Aldrich was held on a $1 million bail and will be arraigned in Orange County Superior Court's Westminster courthouse on November 19.
Though Santera hasn't been active on social media since 2014, she often posted photos of herself with a dog.
Residents who live near the Costa Mesa home said typically a quiet neighborhood, and they were shocked a woman was allegedly murdered there.
Santera is believed to have moved in about five months ago.
