Jury Acquits Husband in Murder of His Wife

A La Canada Flintridge man was found not guilty Wednesday of murdering his wife and dumping her body in the desert near Victorville.

A San Bernardino County Superior Court jury deliberated for 6 1/2 hours before returning the verdict clearing Donald Miralle, 47. Prosecutors had charged that Miralle murdered Tessie Miralle last year to avoid a costly divorce settlement, then drove to the desert, where he doused her body with gasoline and set it afire. A painter driving to work the next day found the still-burning corpse.

But jurors said they were not convinced that a key piece of prosecution evidence--tire tracks found at the desert scene--actually came from Donald Miralle’s Chevrolet Suburban.