California man charged with murder His girlfriend was found dead in a garbage container at his home by landscapers hired to work on the property.

Daniel Allen Aldrich, 49, of Costa Mesa, is accused of strangling his girlfriend, Julie Anne Sanetra, 38, to death in Irvine on Sunday, Oct. 20, and slitting her wrist with a folding knife after a night of drinking. A press release shared with the Orange County District Attorney’s Office on Monday, October 28 website.

Aldrich was charged with one count of felony murder and one count of personal weapon augmentation of a felony after Sanetra’s body was “discovered by landscapers hired to mow the lawn on the property” on Tuesday, Oct. 22.

Landscapers called the Costa Mesa Police Department (CMPD) after “arriving at the residence and discovering Sanetra’s body partially outside the trash can,” according to the statement. previous CMPD post He confirmed that the body was found just before 14.30 local time.

According to the latest statement from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Aldrich was accused of “leaving Sanetra’s body on the couch while watching television before going to bed” after allegedly killing Sanetra following an argument on October 20.

“The next day, Aldrich is accused of dragging Sanetra’s body outside and stuffing it in a trash can on the side of the house. Aldrich is accused of going back inside, packing a bag, and then driving to his mother’s house in Glendale,” the statement read, where Aldrich was later arrested at his mother’s property. confirmed.

Authorities confirmed that the suspect faces a maximum sentence of 26 years to life in prison if convicted on all charges. “He is currently being held on $1 million bail,” the statement added.

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“Julie Sanetra did not deserve to be strangled and thrown into the dumpster like a piece of trash,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said, according to the post. he said.

“The callousness of this crime shocks the conscience, and we will do everything to achieve justice for Julie and her loved ones,” Spitzer added.

Aldrich’s hearing is scheduled for November 19 at the Stephen K. Tamura Justice Center in Westminster, California.

The Orange County District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s contact for additional information.

After news of Sanetra’s death broke last week, Costa Mesa Deputy Police Chief Joyce LaPointe told local ABC station: KABC-TV You wouldn’t expect something like this to happen in the region.

“It’s a nice residential area,” LaPointe told the outlet. “This is something we don’t see very often around here.”