San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas announced that Antonio Cuellar was sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison for the first-degree premeditated murder of 18-year-old Andrea Cervantes Alejandre. The sentencing, overseen by Judge Northup on April 10, 2025, follows Cuellar’s no-contest plea in case CR-2019-9541.

On June 22, 2019, Tracy Police Department officers responded to a call at an apartment on Carlton Way in Tracy, where they discovered Alejandre’s body with an 8-inch fixed-blade knife in her neck. Investigation by TPD Detective Wesley Bancroft revealed that Alejandre, a U.S. citizen who had recently moved from Mexico, was living with Cuellar at the time of her murder. Cuellar fled to Mexico after selling his vehicle in Fresno but was located and extradited back to the United States in 2024.

“This sentencing delivers justice for Andrea Cervantes Alejandre and her family, who have endured unimaginable loss,” said District Attorney Ron Freitas. “The relentless pursuit of truth by our law enforcement partners and my team ensures that violent offenders like Cuellar face the consequences of their actions, no matter where they flee.”

The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office extends gratitude to Deputy District Attorney Lesley Scharmann Lyberger for her dedicated prosecution and to Detective Wesley Bancroft and the Tracy Police Department for their thorough investigation. The office remains committed to protecting our community and seeking justice for victims of violent crime.