Man gets life in prison for murdering Wisconsin woman in 2000

Juanita Zdroik, Miguel Cruz

Miguel Cruz, 43, has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2000 murder of a Wisconsin woman.

Cruz faced a single count of first-degree intentional homicide. A jury found him guilty in February -- 21 years to the month after the victim's death.

On Feb. 7, 2000, the body of 39-year-old Juanita Zdroik was found on the side of a county road in the Town of Raymond. Police believe she witnessed Cruz and another man -- Elias Burgos -- kill two people and then, police say, the men killed her.

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In 2020, Burgos -- was sentenced to 13 years in prison and 10 years of extended supervision. He was found guilty of five counts, including two counts of harboring/aiding a felon.

"Justice finally," Zachary Zdroik, the victim's son, told FOX6 News in February. "Peace for the family. I think that’s the most important thing. For my family, obviously, it means everything. We can finally go to sleep at night knowing the man responsible for all of our sadness for the last 21 years is now put away."

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