Kimberly Gutierrez, a 22-year-old resident of La Mesa, California, was tragically found dead on October 20, 2021, in Bonita, CA. Her body was discovered near a cul-de-sac at the end of Quarry Road by a deputy on patrol near Sweetwater Summit Regional Park around 3 a.m. that day. The autopsy revealed that Gutierrez had been shot four times and was bound at the wrists with makeshift handcuffs.
This brutal crime shocked the local community and prompted an intensive investigation by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
The investigation led to the arrest of Evaline Janet Lemus, a 32-year-old woman from Chula Vista. Lemus was already in custody on a separate case when she was charged with Gutierrez's murder about six months after the incident. The details surrounding how Lemus was identified as a suspect or the motive behind the killing were not immediately disclosed. However, Lemus eventually pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for the shooting death of Kimberly Gutierrez.
In September 2023, Lemus was sentenced to 18 years to life in state prison. This sentence included 15 years to life for the murder charge and an additional three years for allegations of using a firearm in the killing. The case highlighted the severity of the crime and the legal consequences faced by those who commit such acts. The sentencing brought some closure to the tragic event, although the community and Gutierrez's family continue to grapple with the loss.
