(Yuba-Sutter, CA) – In Sutter County Court, the prosecution of cold case murder suspect Francisco Arellano is moving forward, after it was determined during a preliminary hearing that there is enough evidence to go to trial.

Arellano is charged with the premeditated 1st degree murder of Blanca Duenas-Arellano on July 26th, 1999. The 32-year-old was found murdered in her Queens Avenue apartment, and Arellano, her estranged husband, had fled Yuba City to Mexico with their two children. The search for him never stopped and Yuba City Police detectives located him in 2019 in conjunction with federal officials, who were able to extradite him last year.

He continues to be held without bail and the trial date is expected to be set at Arellano’s next scheduled court appearance, July 24th.