Jealous Rage Leads to Murder: Man Sentenced to 26 Years for Killing Ex-Girlfriend

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – A man convicted of stabbing his ex-girlfriend to death at her Palm Springs home after she broke up with him was sentenced to 26 years to life in state prison on Friday. Miguel Hernandez Toscano, 66, was found guilty of first-degree murder and other charges in the 2022 killing of 48-year-old Ernestina Oropeza.

According to prosecutors, Oropeza and Toscano had met at a casino where they both worked and had been dating for about five months. However, their relationship turned rocky when Toscano discovered that Oropeza had been communicating with another man. The tension came to a head during a dinner outing with Oropeza’s three young daughters, when the couple argued about her interest in the other man.

After declining Toscano’s offer to pick up her children from school the following day, Oropeza informed him that she no longer wanted to be with him. An altercation ensued, with Toscano ultimately grabbing a kitchen knife and fatally stabbing Oropeza while her daughters and their grandmother were in another room.

Following the brutal attack, the children and their grandmother fled for their safety, while a neighbor called 911. When police arrived at the scene, they found Oropeza motionless and covered in blood. Toscano, who had fled, surrendered to the Palm Springs police the next morning, admitting to his actions.

Toscano, who had no prior felony convictions, was sentenced to the maximum penalty by law. The tragic incident serves as a reminder of the potentially devastating consequences of domestic violence and the importance of seeking help in such situations.