A man who eluded justice for nearly 40 years after committing rape and murder will now serve a life sentence following a breakthrough in the case. Investigators, with the assistance of the FBI, utilized a covertly obtained DNA sample to finally identify him as the perpetrator.
A judge in Santa Barbara County handed down a life sentence without the possibility of parole to Aloysius Winthrop James, aged 59. This is the maximum penalty permitted by law.
In February, a jury found James guilty of first-degree murder for the 1988 killing of 30-year-old Ofelia Sandoval, determining that the crime was committed during a rape, a special circumstance that influenced his sentencing.
Sandoval was tragically killed on September 18, 1988, in Santa Maria. Her body was discovered strangled, and despite a thorough investigation at the time, the case went cold by the following year, leaving many questions unanswered.
Over the years, a series of booking photos documented Aloysius Winthrop James’s encounters with law enforcement. It was ultimately DNA evidence that linked him to Sandoval’s murder, offering a resolution to a case that had long remained unsolved.
For decades, it stayed that way.
“For nearly four decades, the 1988 murder of Ofelia Sandoval remained unsolved. This past week, justice was delivered,” the FBI said.
The break didn’t come until years later, as DNA technology advanced. In the early 2000s, investigators developed a DNA profile from evidence collected in Sandoval’s room, but it didn’t match anyone in national databases.
Aloysius Winthrop James was arrested in Georgia in 2024 and later convicted in the decades-old case. (Santa Maria Police Department)
Investigators said DNA evidence ultimately became the key to solving the case. According to Cal Coast News, evidence collected in 1988 included DNA found on a towel and shirt near Sandoval’s body. When that evidence was tested years later, it did not match anyone in law enforcement databases at the time.
That’s when the FBI partnered with Santa Maria police to obtain a covert DNA sample from James. As the case was revisited, investigators later obtained DNA linked to James, including from a glove he discarded, which ultimately matched the profile developed from the original evidence, authorities said, Cal Coast News reported.
James was arrested in Georgia in April 2024. A jury ultimately found him guilty.
“A jury in California convicted Aloysius Winthrop James of first-degree murder in this long-running cold case — a breakthrough made possible in part by the work of the FBI in Atlanta collecting a covert DNA sample,” the FBI said.
Aerial footage of Santa Maria, California, the city where Ofelia Sandoval was killed in 1988 in a case solved decades later through DNA evidence. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images)
During the investigation and again after his arrest, James denied having any contact with Sandoval, according to Cal Coast News. But at trial, he admitted the two had sex, while claiming he initially lied because his father was a pastor.
His attorney argued the DNA evidence did not prove he committed the murder.
Now, investigators believe there could be more victims.
“Investigators believe there may be additional victims connected to James involving threats, sexual assault, domestic abuse, or other crimes,” the FBI said, urging anyone with information to contact the Santa Maria Police Department.
Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch called the sentencing “the culmination of almost 38 years of work,” and said it marks the beginning of “some sense of closure” for Sandoval’s family.
That closure has been a long time coming.
According to prosecutors, four generations of Sandoval’s family supported the case over the years. In court, her children spoke about the lasting impact of her death.
“The bravery, dedication, and resilience of Ofelia’s three children, Marcelino, Maricela and Alex, is truly remarkable,” the DA’s office said.
Fox News Digital reached out to James’ lawyer for comment.
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