The trial of a South Bend man accused of murder started on Monday in St. Joseph County.
24-year-old Alberto Cruz is believed by authorities to be the man responsible for the death of Alma Del Real. Her body was found about one year ago near Culver after Cruz allegedly led investigators to the scene.
Family and friends of the victim searched for Del Real for weeks, according to our reporting partners at WNDU-TV.
Court documents in the case say that Cruz and Del Real went to a couple of South Bend night clubs just prior to her disappearance. Cruz allegedly confessed to strangling the victim inside a residence following an argument between the two.
Del Real’s body was badly decomposed according to court documents. Investigators were required to use dental records to make a positive identification on the body.
