Inset: Jose Carlos Villanueva (KGTV). Background: The 7-Eleven store in Chula Vista, California, where Villanueva allegedly set his ex-girlfriend on fire, killing her (KNSD).
In a chilling case that has left a community grappling for answers, a man from California faced a judge this week for a preliminary hearing related to the horrific death of his ex-girlfriend. The accused, Jose Carlos Villanueva, 49, stands charged with an array of serious offenses, including murder, arson causing great bodily harm, mayhem, and torture, in connection with the tragic demise of 44-year-old Amanda Buchanan.
The incident, which shook the San Diego suburb of Chula Vista, unfolded on August 24, 2024, at a 7-Eleven located at 899 Broadway. Responding to reports of a fire just after 8 a.m., authorities arrived to find smoke pouring out of the convenience store’s entrance. Outside, they discovered a woman suffering from severe burns and, upon entering, heard another distressed voice emanating from within.
Officers quickly located Buchanan inside the store. Unable to move on her own due to the severity of her injuries, she was carried to safety and, along with another female employee, was rushed to a nearby hospital. Tragically, Buchanan succumbed to her injuries a few days later, while the other employee, though seriously injured, managed to survive.
Amidst the heartache, Buchanan’s son, Dominic Rivera, shared insights from the surveillance footage that captures the horrific sequence of events. Speaking to the local ABC affiliate KGTV, Rivera explained, “She couldn’t see him come in. As he came in, she had her back turned to go to the bathroom. He rushed in with a can of gasoline, doused her with it, they got into a scuffle, and that’s when he set her on fire.”
Buchanan’s son said that he reviewed the surveillance footage from inside the store.
“She couldn’t see him come in,” Dominic Rivera told local ABC affiliate KGTV. “As he came in, she had her back turned to go to the bathroom. He rushed in with a can of gasoline, doused her with it, they got into a scuffle, and that’s when he set her on fire.”
Her co-worker tried to put out the fire and was burned in the process. The store owner grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the fire after 40 seconds, Rivera said.
Villanueva drove away in a BMW. Cops later tracked down the vehicle using license plate readers and arrested him at a gas station in Redlands, some 100 miles north of Chula Vista.
While Villanueva and Buchanan were previously in a relationship, the motive for setting her on fire has not been publicly divulged.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Buchanan’s friend described her horrific injuries.
“She was wrapped like a mummy,” explained Alma Ogden, according to a courtroom report from NBC affiliate KNSD. “She had no face and no ears. Her hair was gone. The only thing I could see was her toes.”
The preliminary hearing is set to continue on Dec. 17. Villanueva remains in the San Diego County Jail without bond.
