A California man, aged 26, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for a brutal attack on his wife at a beach, which included choking her, throwing her into the sea, and attempting to bury her in the sand. The sentencing was handed down last week by Judge Michael J. Popkins of the San Diego County Superior Court to Jose Luis Mares III, as confirmed by legal authorities.
Mares made his appearance in the Chula Vista Superior Court on March 1, 2024, where he pleaded guilty to a single count of attempted murder. His wife, referred to as “Jane Doe” in court documents, was the victim of his violent assault. As part of his plea, Mares acknowledged that he had inflicted severe physical harm in a situation involving domestic violence, according to a representative from the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.
Mares also admitted to having a prior felony conviction, a “strike” against him. He was found guilty of carjacking in Los Angeles in October 2017. In return for his guilty plea, the prosecution dropped additional felony charges of assault causing severe bodily harm, domestic violence, and false imprisonment that were initially leveled against Mares.
The violent episode occurred on February 24, 2024, at Coronado Beach, according to authorities. The City of Coronado Police Department reported that around 9 p.m., officers responded to a call from a woman on Ocean Boulevard. The woman, who turned out to be Mares’ wife, reported that her husband had just attacked her and tried to kill her on the beach.
Upon reaching the scene, first responders found the woman severely injured on the sidewalk. She was quickly transported to a trauma center in San Diego by emergency medical personnel for treatment. Investigators believe that Mares and his wife had arrived at the beach earlier in the evening before the situation escalated to a potentially lethal level.
The police report stated that an argument between the couple led to Mares attacking his wife. He attempted to throw her into the ocean and bury her in a hole in the sand. The victim managed to escape and ran towards Ocean Boulevard, where a passerby found her on the sidewalk. Mares was later found by officers hiding in the backyard of a house on Alameda Boulevard.