Fair Oaks Murder-for-Hire: Mother and Son Convicted of Killing Her Boyfriend for Life Insurance Money

By Lance The PI | CA PI License #27617 | June 30, 2026 | Sacramento Crime

A Sacramento County jury has convicted three people of first-degree murder in the planned killing of Vitaliy Zaytsev, a 41-year-old Fair Oaks man shot dead in his own driveway in May 2024. Prosecutors say his girlfriend, Jeannette Nunes, conspired with her son Michael Espinosa and his friend Miguel Esquibel to have him killed for life insurance money. As a licensed California Private Investigator with over 25 years of experience and 10 years as a Sacramento police officer, I’m breaking down exactly how this murder-for-hire plot came together — and how investigators unraveled it.

The Victim: A Well-Liked CVS Manager in Fair Oaks

Vitaliy Zaytsev, 41, was the manager of the Folsom CVS on Madison Avenue. Coworkers described him as well-liked and respected — the kind of person everyone in that store trusted. On the night of May 3, 2024, at around 11:00 p.m., Zaytsev pulled into his driveway on the 4900 block of Hillridge Way in Fair Oaks, just off Will Rogers Drive near Del Campo High School. He was sitting in his car when a second vehicle pulled up behind him, blocking him in. Someone got out and shot him multiple times. Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene and found Zaytsev dead in his vehicle.

The Plot: Months of Planning, a Burner Phone, and an Eleven-Hour Drive

According to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, between February and May 2024, Nunes conspired with her son Espinosa to kill her boyfriend and collect his life insurance proceeds. On May 3, Espinosa and Esquibel rented a car in Idaho and made the drive to Sacramento County to carry out the killing. Critically, they left their personal cell phones behind — using a prepaid burner phone to stay in contact with Nunes during the drive and the attack.

When they arrived at Zaytsev’s home, Espinosa got out of the vehicle and walked up to where Zaytsev was sitting in his car and shot him multiple times. The two then drove straight back to Idaho. Nunes made sure she was nowhere near the scene when it happened. When detectives came to question her, she played the grieving girlfriend — telling investigators she had no idea who could have done this to him.

The Investigation: Deleted Texts, Cell Data, and DOT Cameras

Deleted texts don’t always stay deleted. Investigators recovered communications from Nunes’ phone linking her directly to the prepaid burner phone used during the murder. Combined with cell phone location data, surveillance video, and Department of Transportation camera footage, detectives were able to track Espinosa and Esquibel’s movements from Sacramento all the way back to Caldwell, Idaho. Sacramento County investigators coordinated with the FBI’s Boise Field Office to make the arrests. Espinosa and Esquibel were picked up in Caldwell on probation and parole violations. Nunes was arrested in San Jose and held without bail.

From an investigator’s standpoint, the burner phone was their biggest mistake. People think switching to a prepaid device makes them invisible. It doesn’t — especially when the person on the other end of those calls is still using her regular phone and those records survive data recovery. That digital trail is exactly what connected all three defendants to this murder.

The Conviction: All Three Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder

The jury convicted Espinosa, Esquibel, and Nunes of first-degree murder under case number 24FE008182, prosecuted by Principal Criminal Attorney Matthew Moore of the Homicide Unit. The jury additionally found that Espinosa personally used a firearm in the commission of the murder, and that both Espinosa and Nunes carried out the killing for financial gain — a special circumstance allegation that exposes both of them to life without the possibility of parole. Espinosa was also convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. A prior strike allegation for robbery against Espinosa will be decided at sentencing.

What’s Next: Sentencing July 24, 2026

Sentencing is scheduled for July 24, 2026 in Department 16A before the Honorable Steve White. Espinosa and Nunes both face a maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole. Esquibel faces up to 26 years to life. Follow Lance The PI News for continued coverage through sentencing, and check out our Sacramento Most Wanted series for more on active cases across the region.