For the family and friends of Sheylla Cabrera, the days between her disappearance and the grim discovery in the Angeles National Forest were filled with mounting dread and unanswered questions. The 33-year-old mother of three vanished from her Lancaster, California, apartment on August 9, 2025. Just a week later, her body was found wrapped in fabric at the bottom of a steep embankment, some 60 miles from home. In the days since, the case has become a harrowing cross-border saga—one that has gripped Southern California and drawn in authorities from two continents.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Sheylla Cabrera was reported missing on August 12 by friends and neighbors who hadn’t seen her in several days. The next morning, homicide detectives uncovered chilling surveillance footage from a neighbor’s Ring camera. The video, captured on August 10, showed Sheylla’s husband, 36-year-old Jossimar Cabrera, dragging a large, wrapped object—possibly a tarp or curtain—out of their Lancaster apartment complex in the dead of night.
“That video is consistent with how and what we found [the victim’s] remains in,” LASD Homicide Detective Michael Modica told KNX News. The fabric seen in the footage matched the material in which Sheylla’s body was discovered, underscoring investigators’ suspicions.
Neighbors had already noticed odd behavior. One, Norbelvi Melara, recalled seeing Jossimar cleaning out the trunk of the family car at 2:40 a.m. on August 12. “It was strange,” Melara told KTLA. “I work those days, and I know there’s nobody around at that time, and cleaning a trunk? I thought it was scary.”
As detectives closed in, Jossimar Cabrera disappeared. Authorities believe he fled the United States with the couple’s three young sons, heading first to Mexico and then to Peru—the family’s country of origin. Lieutenant Modica explained to The New York Times that Cabrera was detained by officials in both Mexico and Peru after entering by land, but was released each time because no criminal charges had yet been filed. The children were found safe in Peru on August 16, the same day Sheylla’s body was discovered in the forest. Peruvian authorities placed the boys in protective custody, and they have since been repatriated to Los Angeles, where they were reunited with their maternal grandparents, according to Peru’s foreign ministry.
The search for Sheylla’s remains was no small feat. The Angeles National Forest, sprawling across more than 650,000 acres northeast of Los Angeles, is known for its rugged terrain and steep elevations. Search and rescue teams combed through the area, eventually locating her body around 10 a.m. on August 16 at the bottom of an embankment. The coroner’s office has yet to release the official cause of death, as autopsy results remain pending.
Authorities moved quickly once the evidence began to mount. On August 21, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed a murder charge against Jossimar Cabrera and issued a felony complaint for his extradition from Peru. “The Peruvian authorities are being cooperative with us,” Lieutenant Modica told The New York Times. “They are monitoring him.” As of the latest reports, Cabrera remains at large in Peru, with U.S. officials working closely with Peruvian authorities to secure his return to face trial.
Beyond the procedural twists and international legal hurdles, the case has shone a harsh light on the issue of domestic violence. Sheylla’s mother, Helga Rocillo, told Peruvian news outlet Latina Noticias that her daughter had endured years of physical and psychological abuse at the hands of her husband. Rocillo said Sheylla had intended to file a criminal report against Jossimar, but never had the chance. In a particularly cruel twist, Rocillo recounted that Cabrera initially told family members that Sheylla had been taken by U.S. immigration authorities, a claim that delayed the family’s search for the truth.
“She was a victim of domestic violence and was abused physically and verbally for years,” Rocillo said, as reported by Latina Noticias and cited by KTLA. Friends and neighbors echoed these concerns, describing a pattern of controlling and aggressive behavior by Jossimar Cabrera.
While the criminal investigation moves forward, the tragedy has left a community grappling with grief and outrage. Local officials have urged anyone experiencing domestic violence to seek help, highlighting the resources available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline. The hotline, available at 800-799-7233, provides support and guidance for those in dangerous situations.
The legal process ahead is expected to be lengthy and complicated. Extradition from Peru requires cooperation between the two nations’ justice systems and can be delayed by appeals or bureaucratic hurdles. Still, Los Angeles County prosecutors remain determined to bring Cabrera back to California to face justice. Ricardo Santiago, spokesperson for the District Attorney’s office, confirmed to KTLA that the murder charge and extradition warrant were filed on August 21, and that authorities are working closely with their Peruvian counterparts.
For Sheylla Cabrera’s family, the return of her three children to Los Angeles offers a small measure of solace amid overwhelming loss. The boys are now in the care of their mother’s parents, surrounded by relatives who hope to provide stability and healing after the trauma they have endured.
As the investigation continues, the case stands as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by victims of domestic violence—and the challenges law enforcement faces when suspects cross borders to evade justice. With the world watching, authorities in California and Peru are under pressure to ensure that Sheylla Cabrera’s death does not go unanswered and that her children have a chance at a safer future.
The story of Sheylla Cabrera is one of heartbreak, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of justice. As the legal process unfolds, her community remains united in grief—and in the hope that her memory will not be forgotten.
