A 24-year-old man was arrested after allegedly raping and stabbing his estranged wife inside the victim’s Santa Ana home and leaving her with severe injuries, police said Friday.
Luis Javier Cervantes allegedly entered his estranged wife’s apartment in the 1600 block of North Parton Street on Wednesday and waited for her to return, according to a news release from the Santa Ana Police Department.
The victim discovered Cervantes after she arrived home in the early morning hours with their two young children and put them to bed. The two began arguing over their marital status.
Cervantes then allegedly sexually assaulted his estranged wife and stabbed her multiple times, including at least once in the head, according to police. She was left with severe bleeding and injuries but managed to escape and call police for help.
The victim was taken to an area hospital where she was last reported to be in stable condition.
Her children, ages 6 and 7, were unharmed.
Cervantes fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle, allegedly telling her before he left that he wanted to commit “suicide by cop,” the news release stated.
The vehicle was found abandoned in Anaheim shortly after 7 a.m. on Wednesday.
Detectives later learned that Cervantes was staying in a mobile home in the 2600 block of West Orangethorpe Avenue in Fullerton, according to the release. He was taken into custody there without incident on Thursday evening.
Cervantes has been booked at the Orange County Jail on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and rape, with possible additional charges pending, police said in the release.
He was being held on $1 million bail, the news release stated.
Anyone with additional information about the case has been asked to call the Santa Ana Police Department at 714-245-8542.
