Prison term for suspect in murder of former girlfriend
Victim disappeared on night of 30th birthday.
EPHRATA — A former Moses Lake man accused of killing his estranged girlfriend on the night of her 30th birthday in 2022 has been sentenced to over 20 years in prison.
Juan Ismael Gastelum Jr., 32, of Hermiston, Oregon, pled guilty in early March to a charge of second-degree murder with a sexual motivation. His plea came exactly four years after Yanira C. Cedillos was last seen alive outside of Papa’s Casino in Moses Lake, where she had been celebrating with friends. Her body was found on May 12, 2022 in a remote part of Walla Walla County.
Moses Lake police said information from Gastelum’s phone helped guide investigators to the location. On the evening she disappeared, the defendant had called or texted Cedillos several times, saying he was driving from his home in Oregon to surprise her on her birthday. Cedillos did not show up for work the next day or pick up her three children from her mother, who had been babysitting them.
Police were assisted in the investigation by the FBI and Oregon authorities, who took Gastelum into custody prior to his extradition to Grant County, where he had remained jailed pending trial.
Gastelum was sentenced last Tuesday, April 28, by Grant County Superior Court Judge Anna Gigliotti during a two-hour hearing that included testimony and numerous victim impact statements from Cedillos’ extended family, friends, and co-workers.
Small in stature, Cedillos was described as a loving mother and loyal, joyful friend who overcame a challenging childhood to become “strong, independent, outspoken and compassionate.” Her disappearance initially caused confusion, followed by “fear, then into a nightmare none of us could have imagined,” one family member told the court.
Gastelum was described as a person who acted out of spite and jealousy, choosing “violence, control, and cruelty” in committing the homicide.
Virtually all who submitted statements to the court asked Gigliotti — who thanked them for their comments — to impose a maximum sentence.
Under state guidelines, Gastelum, who had a prior conviction for domestic assault, faced an indeterminate life sentence with a minimum range of 123 to 220 months in prison on the murder charge, plus an additional 24 months for the sexual motivation component. Within that range, Gigliotti imposed the maximum term of 244 months, or 20.3 years, which had been recommended by Grant County prosecutor Brandon Guernsey.
Gastelum was represented at sentencing by county public defense attorney Brett Hill.
When initially questioned by police during early stages of their investigation, Gastelum admitted that he had gone with Cedillos to her apartment on the night of her disappearance, but claimed she was still alive when he left early the next morning following an argument.
Investigators said about a dozen photos taken between midnight and 4 a.m. on March 4, 2022 were found on Gastelum’s phone showing the couple naked in the apartment. During that time, Cedillos appeared injured and unconscious while Gastelum engaged in a series of sex acts, authorities alleged.
In addition to his prison term, Gigliotti also ordered Gastelum to have no contact with Cedillos’ three children or her mother, to register as a sex offender and participate in a chemical dependency treatment program, and to pay restitution totaling $15,390.
