WESTWOOD—The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office revealed that Alberto Hinojosa Medina, 24, of Fresno was convicted on Tuesday, May 29 for the murder of UCLA Student Andrea DelVesco, 21, at her Westwood apartment.
Jurors deliberated for about six hours before finding Medina guilty of one count of first-degree murder and the special circumstance allegation of murder during a burglary was found to be true. He was convicted of one count of arson of an inhabited structure, two counts of first-degree burglary and one count of animal cruelty. Sentencing is set for July 20 when Medina faces life in state prison without the possibility of parole.
Medina burglarized an apartment in the 10900 block of Roebling Street on September 21, 2015, and later entered a second apartment where he fatally stabbed Andrea DelVesco and set her apartment on fire before fleeing. DelVesco’s body was found by firefighters inside her apartment. She was a fourth-year UCLA student from Austin, Texas, and a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority.
She was an undergraduate at the school studying psychology and Spanish. Her sorority coined her the nickname ‘Andy.’
“Andy had a contagious spirit and was a fearless giver,” said Pi Beta Phi Chapter President Jacquie Medeiros in a statement. “Andy was a friend to every person she met. She was always inclusive and there for everyone. More than anything, Andy wanted us to be ourselves…and most of all to never ever give up.”
In December 2017, Eric Marquez, 25, pleaded guilty to one count each of first-degree burglary and accessory after the fact. According to reports, Marquez and Medina were high school friends. Investigators examined forensic evidence and witness’s statements which linked both suspects to the crime. Marquez was a fifth-year undergraduate biology student at the university.
DelVesco pled not guilty to charges of trying to sell drugs that included possession of psilocybin, methamphetamines, LSD and MDMA on July 8, 2015. She was arrested on June 10, 2015. No link has been established to the criminal case. DelVesco was set to appear in court on Friday, September 25, days before her body was found in her apartment.
Marquez is scheduled to be sentenced on June 7 when he faces a possible maximum sentence of two years and eight months in prison.
