A Miramar man whose estranged wife disappeared more than five years ago was found guilty of her murder Friday.
A Broward County jury found Cid Torrez guilty of second-degree murder in the death of his wife, Vilet, after hours of deliberation Thursday and Friday morning.
"We're obviously very disappointed in the verdict. We felt that the state did not have sufficient evidence to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt," defense attorney Richard Della Fera said. "Obviously the jury has ruled differently but Mr. Torrez has numerous avenues of appeal."
Torrez was reserved as he watched prosecutors paint a picture that jealousy was the motive for Vilet’s disappearance.
"Cid Torrez was jealous, possessive, and what he did was that he took Vilet Patricia Torrez, the mother of three young children, took her life because from his own words 'if couldn't have her, no one else will,'" assistant state attorney Lanie Bandell said.
Five years ago, the Miramar couple's marriage was on the rocks when police believe she vanished in the early hours of March 31st of 2012. Her body was never found.
Prosecutors presented evidence that cadaver dogs led investigators to Torrez's house and the trunk of his Jaguar which they believe he used to dump Vilet's body in the Everglades. Traces of blood were also found on a towel in the home.
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Prosecutors also presented evidence that Torrez was tracking Vilet with spy software on her cellphone. They cited Sunpass records, surveillance footage and his own daughter's testimony to support their theory that he murdered the victim.
The defense questioned the credibility of his daughter, who was 12 years old at the time. They only brought up Cid's brother, who testified that they had been drinking the night Vilet vanished without a trace.
Torrez, 43, now faces 30 years to life in prison at sentencing, scheduled for September 1.
