UPDATE (Jan. 5 -- 9:53 a.m.) Gonzalo Garibay was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison on Friday.
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Guilty of second degree. That's what the jury decided for the Bakersfield man accused of killing his wife and then dumping her body in a remote area off highway 33.
In July of 2016, then 44-year-old, Gonzalo Garibay told Bakersfield police investigators he killed his wife, Rosa Garibay, during a fight tried to hid her body in Ojai. Thursday the jury agreed on a second degree murder verdict.
The jury was given four options, first degree murder, second degree murder, voluntary manslaughter and not guilty. It took the jury about a day of deliberation to decide not guilty of first degree murder and guilty of second degree murder.
While the prosecution was hoping for first degree murder, the deputy district attorney told 23 ABC, justice was done in both the courtroom and investigation room.
Deputy district attorney, Tamara Basquez, said, "The family, they really were happy and thankful to the sergeant for for doing his work and and locating the body. That really gave them the closure that they needed. And that was the most important part of this entire case."
Gonzalo Garibay is due in court January 5th, for sentencing. Afterwards, the defense attorney told 23 ABC he plans to appeal the ruling.
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