JOSHUA TREE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO THE MURDER OF HIS WIFE

A Joshua Tree man pleaded guilty in a Joshua Tree court room Friday to shooting and killing his wife just over a year ago. In the early morning hours of March 5, 2012, deputies were called out for a welfare check at a home in the 65500 block of Twentynine Palms Highway in Joshua Tree. When deputies arrived, Steven Aguilar, 48, fired a shotgun through his front door at the deputies. During the ensuing two-hour standoff, Aguilar threatened to slit his own throat, before he was eventually talked out of the house and surrendered without further incident. Inside the home, deputies found the body of his wife, Jennifer Aguilar, 54, dead from a gunshot wound. Steven Aguilar pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and to four counts of assault with a deadly weapon. As part of the plea bargain, he agreed to a sentence of 25 years. Formal sentencing is set for July 19.