Man arrested for girlfriend's murder was out on bond for earlier assault

DENVER -- A man arrested for the murder of his girlfriend was out on bond for assaulting her just a month earlier.

Jose Vallejo Cano was arrested in the strangling death of Aracelia Esparza-Miranda, 23. Her body was found inside an SUV Saturday morning near 51st Avenue and Kingston Street in Denver.

According to an arrest affidavit, Cano was charged with assaulting EsParza-Miranda on Oct. 2. The affidavit alleges Cano was choking the Aurora mother of 4 as she screamed “Help me! Help me!” as police arrived. He was out on bond and wearing an ankle monitor just before he allegedly completed what police say he attempted to do on Oct. 2.

The night before the victim’s body was found, surveillance video shows the couple enter a hotel room. The next day, a shirtless Cano was found by Denver Police hiding behind a dumpster just 100 yards from where his girlfriend’s body lay.

Police say Cano removed his ankle monitor just after midnight Friday. Aurora Police were actively searching for him, according to an arrest affidavit. The victim’s mother contacted police to report her missing hours before the body was discovered.

Cano is facing a first-degree murder charge. He was booked into the Denver County Jail.

Friends say EsParza-Miranda was very loved and admired as a mom for having four kids and making it look so easy.

"She always had a smile in her face," one friend told Denver7 on Facebook. "You would never see her mad or sad."

EsParza-Miranda's family has created a GoFundMe pageto raise money for her burial.