In a chilling case that has gripped both Southern California and Peru, the disappearance and subsequent death of 33-year-old Sheylla Gutierrez has sparked calls for justice, international cooperation, and a reckoning with the dangers faced by women in domestic situations. Gutierrez, a mother of three from Lancaster, California, was reported missing on August 12, 2025, only for her body to be discovered days later—wrapped in fabric and dumped over an embankment in the Angeles National Forest. The prime suspect: her husband, Jossimar Cabrera, who fled to Peru with their children as the investigation intensified.
According to authorities and multiple news reports, Gutierrez’s disappearance was initially shrouded in confusion and conflicting stories. Her husband, 36-year-old Cabrera, offered a series of shifting explanations to her family and investigators. First, he claimed that immigration authorities—ICE—had detained his wife. Then, he suggested she had left him for another man. In yet another version, he said she had been in an accident. These contradictory accounts immediately raised suspicions among Gutierrez’s family and local law enforcement.
But the most damning evidence came from a neighbor’s surveillance camera. The footage, reviewed by both ABC7 and KTLA, showed Cabrera dragging a large, heavy object wrapped in fabric from the couple’s apartment building in Lancaster. Days later, on August 16, 2025, search and rescue teams found Gutierrez’s body in the Angeles National Forest, wrapped in material strikingly similar to what was seen in the video. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed, “On the same day, investigators were contacted shortly after 10 a.m. by the Montrose Mountain Search and Rescue Team, who reported they had spotted an object similar to the material that was seen being taken away by the person of interest over the side of an embankment in the Angeles National Forest.”
As the investigation unfolded, Cabrera had already left the United States. He traveled through Mexico and landed in Lima, Peru, on August 16, the very day his wife’s body was found. He brought along the couple’s three children, ages undisclosed, and was briefly detained by Peruvian National Police. However, with no charges filed in Peru at that moment and no extradition request from U.S. authorities, Cabrera was released. The children were placed in the care of Gutierrez’s maternal grandmother in Peru, ensuring their immediate safety amid the turmoil.
Gutierrez’s family, particularly her mother Helga Rocillo, has been vocal in demanding justice. From Peru, Rocillo pleaded with U.S. authorities to “help capture the man suspected of killing her daughter.” The family’s anguish was compounded by Cabrera’s inconsistent stories and the shocking evidence caught on camera. “It’s just devastating, devastating you know, to hear that somebody can actually do that to his own wife, the mother of his kids. It’s just sad. It’s very sad,” said Angelica Hernandez, a Lancaster resident who attended a vigil for Gutierrez. Another, Sylvia Perez, added, “They’re going to lock him up because he needs to be locked up.”
Beyond the immediate tragedy, troubling details have emerged about the couple’s history. Gutierrez’s mother revealed to ABC7 that her daughter had previously reported Cabrera for domestic violence while in Peru. Gutierrez had also told her mother that she intended to file a report against him in the U.S. The timeline and specifics of these allegations are still under investigation, but they paint a picture of a relationship marked by fear and unresolved danger—a sadly familiar pattern in cases of intimate partner violence.
The official cause of Gutierrez’s death remains under investigation by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office. Authorities are working methodically, with Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Michael Modica stating that detectives plan to present their case to the District Attorney’s office. The hope is to secure murder charges against Cabrera, which would then trigger the formal process to seek his extradition from Peru. As of August 21, 2025, no extradition request had been filed, but the Sheriff’s Department has made clear its intent to “bring him to justice.”
The international dimension of the case complicates matters. While Cabrera was briefly taken into custody by Peruvian authorities—video footage obtained by KTLA shows him being escorted by police—it remains uncertain whether and when he will be returned to the United States to face charges. Peruvian police have stated there has been no extradition request yet, and the process could become lengthy and contentious, involving both countries’ legal systems and diplomatic channels.
Meanwhile, the tragedy has reverberated through the Lancaster community and among advocates for victims of domestic violence. Vigils have been held, and residents have expressed shock and sorrow over the loss of a young mother whose life ended so abruptly and violently. Many are calling for greater attention to the warning signs of domestic abuse and for stronger support systems for those at risk.
The case has also highlighted the challenges law enforcement faces when suspects cross international borders. Extradition between the U.S. and Peru is governed by treaties and can be a protracted process, especially if the suspect contests it or if there are legal hurdles to overcome. At present, Cabrera remains in Peru, his fate—and the quest for justice for Sheylla Gutierrez—hanging in the balance.
As the investigation continues, Gutierrez’s family and supporters remain steadfast in their demands for accountability. The hope is that the mounting evidence, including the surveillance footage and Cabrera’s conflicting statements, will be enough to persuade authorities in both countries to act swiftly.
For now, three young children are left without their mother, and a community mourns a life lost too soon. The search for answers—and for justice—continues, with many watching closely to see if the wheels of international justice can move quickly enough to bring closure to a grieving family.
