Jury Convicts Man In Death Of Wife

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Central Texas man has been convicted of murder in the death of his estranged wife who's been missing since 2010.

George De La Cruz faces a possible life prison term during the penalty phase Thursday in Austin.

Jurors on Wednesday night convicted De La Cruz of murder in the death of 21-year-old Julie Ann Gonzalez, whose body has never been found.

Prosecutors sought to prove that De La Cruz killed his wife and staged her disappearance to make it appear that she ran off with another man.

The case was originally investigated as a missing person. Austin police testified they initially were misled by text messages and online posts later linked to De La Cruz.

The defense did not present any witnesses.