PHOENIX— Today Jose Ubaldo Rubio Figueroa (D.O.B. 06/07/1964) was sentenced to 25 years in the Department of Corrections for Second Degree Murder for the death of 48-year-old Maria Rivera.

“While nothing can change the grief felt by the victim’s family, today’s sentencing ensures the defendant will remain in prison well into his 70’s,” said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery.

On June 17, 2016 officers were called about a stabbing at the beauty salon where Rivera worked. Officers found her body in the back of the business with multiple stab wounds. A short time later police received a call from Figueroa claiming he had been cut by Rivera during an argument where she attacked him. He also later claimed that Rivera had begun to stab herself during the argument and that had lead him to run away from the business after taking her keys to leave in her car.

Investigators learned Rivera had an order of protection against Figueroa. They also learned from witnesses the defendant had previously threatened to kill Rivera if she did not resume their dating relationship and had also called his sister-in-law after the murder and admitted to her he had killed Rivera.