ROWLAND HEIGHTS, Calif. - Investigators, resuming their search for the wife of Los Lobos singer-guitarist Cesar Rosas, said they ''hit on something'' shortly before nightfall Friday and would resume their search for her body Saturday.
''Dogs had hit on something there on a certain area,'' Deputy David Cervantes said shortly after investigators cordoned off a small section of the 640-acre Schabarum Regional Park where Gabriel Gomez has indicated he buried the body.
Investigators with the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office will dig in the area Saturday, Cervantes said.
Detectives also searched the park late Thursday afternoon, just hours after Gomez was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for killing his half sister Sandra Rosas.
Rosas disappeared from her home on Oct. 23, 1999, while her husband was in New Orleans with his band.
Though no body was found, Gomez, 40, was convicted after a trial in which DNA evidence linked traces of blood found in Rosas' abandoned van to both him and her.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Robert Martinez had urged Gomez during Thursday's sentencing hearing to tell authorities where the body was.
Gomez, feeling remorse as Rosas' relatives testified about their loss, drew authorities a map of Schabarum Regional Park, said his attorney, Antonio J. Bestard.
The park, about 20 miles east of downtown, is near the Rosas' home in Rowland Heights.
During trial, the prosecution said Rosas helped find an apartment and job for Gomez after the woman, who was adopted, discovered he was her half brother while searching for her biological family five years ago. Her husband testified that Gomez had even worked for Los Lobos for a time as a roadie.
But Gomez was jealous of the family's fame and wealth stemming from the Grammy-winning rock group, Clem told jurors. He said Gomez feared his half sister would cut him off from this ''meal ticket.''