She Vanished After a Night Out — Then They Found the Trash Can-1

She Vanished After a Night Out — Then They Found the Trash Can

By Jennifer A. • Feb 26, 2025

Landscapers hired to mow a lawn in a quiet Costa Mesa, California, neighborhood never expected to stumble upon a murder scene. But on Oct. 22, 2024, they spotted something horrifying — 38-year-old Julie Anne Sanetra's body stuffed inside a trash can, partially hanging out.

A Gruesome Discovery in Costa Mesa

Police arrived at the home on Maple Avenue and confirmed the worst. Sanetra had been murdered, and authorities wasted no time identifying a suspect: her boyfriend, 49-year-old Daniel Allen Aldrich. Hours later, officers tracked him down at his mother's house in Glendale, California, and took him into custody.

A Night of Drinking Turns Deadly

Prosecutors say Sanetra and Aldrich spent the night of Oct. 20, 2024, drinking together when an argument spiraled into deadly violence. He allegedly strangled her, then used a folding knife to slit her wrist. Rather than panicking or calling for help, he left her lifeless body on the couch and turned on the TV.

He reportedly sat there, watching, as if nothing had happened. When the night ended, he went to bed. The next morning, he allegedly dragged her body outside, stuffed it into a trash can, and drove 50 miles to his mother's home.

A Shocking Crime in an Unlikely Place

Costa Mesa doesn't usually see crimes like this. Neighbors described the home as relatively quiet. One woman, Barbara Bruce, told KTLA, "I pass by here two, three times every single day for seven days a week, and I've never seen anybody there," as reported by PEOPLE.

Another resident had a different story, telling the outlet that a woman had been seen coming and going from the home for the last four or five months. But no one suspected that something so horrific had happened behind closed doors.

Justice for Julie

Prosecutors wasted no time filing charges. Aldrich faces one felony count of murder, along with a felony enhancement for using a weapon. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer didn't mince words about the crime. "Julie Sanetra did not deserve to be strangled and stuffed into a trashcan like a piece of garbage," he said in a statement, as reported by the Sacramento Bee. "The callousness of this crime shocks the conscience, and we will do everything to get justice for Julie and her loved ones."

Aldrich remains behind bars on $1 million bail.

A Life Stolen Too Soon

Sanetra's death leaves behind a haunting reality — what should have been just another evening with someone she trusted turned into her last. Now, as the legal process unfolds, her loved ones wait for justice.

References: A Calif. Woman's Body Was Found Stuffed in a Trash Can. Here's Why Her Boyfriend Was Just Arrested | Man kills girlfriend and leaves body on couch as he watches TV, California officials say | He killed his girlfriend, then watched TV, D.A. says; Costa Mesa man faces murder charge

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