Chula Vista man charged with murder of wife extradited

A man accused of stabbing his wife to death in front of their three young children in their Chula Vista home four years ago and then fleeing to Mexico pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges including murder .

According to police, 41-year-old Francisco Uriarte was extradited to San Diego this week in connection with the March 29, 2020 murder of his 35-year-old wife, Natalia Uriarte.

The couple's children, 9-year-old twins and a 3-year-old, were present at the time, police said. Officers who went to the couple's Oxford Street apartment around 1:30 a.m. found Natalia Uriarte dead and her husband dead.

According to Mexican federal authorities, Uriarte was at large from the time of his wife's death until his arrest in Mexicali in May. The police did not provide any information about the circumstances of his arrest. He was turned over to U.S. authorities at Mexico City International Airport for his return trip to San Diego, Mexican officials said.

Assistant District Attorney Erin Casey argued that the “brutal and violent” killing not only posed a danger to the community, but also sent a voice message to a witness in the case threatening to kill that person.

San Diego Superior Court Judge Rebecca Kanter agreed to keep Uriarte in jail without bail. He is due back in court in December.

Staff writer Alexandra Mendoza contributed to this report.