San Pedro man arrested in 37-year-old case of pregnant woman's death

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A pregnant woman's suspected killer is behind bars, 37 years later. Robert Yniguez, 65, of San Pedro was arrested at his home on Thursday.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell said they've been tracking the suspect and he knew they were trying to find evidence to make an arrest. Almost four decades after her murder, Teresa Broudreaux's husband is finally feeling some relief.

"I cried. I cried for about twenty minutes in my car before I went to work. I just sat there and cried," said Ronnie Fematt.

In 1980, on the shoreline on the Malaga Cove Beach, Broudreaux's nude body was found. Authorities said she died of blunt force trauma to the head. For years Fematt said he's been tortured by her unsolved murder.

"To have to go identify the body. It'll never be out of my brain what I had to witness. And to know that there was a person out there that could do this to a pregnant woman. It tore me up. It still does," said Fematt

Sheriff McDonnell said cutting-edge DNA technology led them to 65-year-old Robert Yniguez.

Authorities said he's a registered sex offender who was arrested for rape 2 years after Broudreaux's murder. He served 8 years in prison but authorities said he now has a wife and kids.

Investigators won't reveal if Broudreaux was sexually assaulted before her murder, but they believe the motive behind her death was sexual assault.

"Now with technology we have today if you think you're going to do something and be able to get away with it, the chances are much less than they were in the past," said Sheriff McDonnell.

At the time, Broudreaux and Fematt had just gotten married and she was pregnant with their daughter. She and her unborn daughter both died. Fematt said he won't be at peace until a suspect is found guilty for their deaths.

"Just last year somebody told a coworker that I killed my wife. They're still talking about it. They're still saying I did it," said Fematt.

Authorities believe the attack on Broudreaux was random. She didn't know her killer before her death.

Yniguez is now facing a murder charge and will be in court on Monday in Torrance.