A Prince George’s County jury convicted a man Feb. 11 of first-degree murder in the death and repeated stabbing of his former girlfriend at the College Park Motel on Route 1.

Roberto D. Puerto, 42, of Westlake Drive, Bethesda, faces life in prison for the murder of Iris Gonzalez, who was found dead last April. Puerto was also convicted of theft for stealing her credit card, according to an Associated Press article.

Police arrested Puerto in association with the murder on July 13, said Prince George’s County Police spokeswoman Cpl. Diane Richardson. His sentencing is set for March 10 at the Circuit Court in Upper Marlboro.

Just before noon on April 30, a housekeeper at the motel found the dead, gagged, bound and visibly beaten body of Gonzalez, 43, of Northwest Washington. The medical examiner’s report showed she was stabbed 56 times.

Puerto and Gonzalez were in a relationship before Puerto was sent to jail in 1999. He was released two months before Gonzalez’s death.

The Gonzalez crime was one of several murders in the city over the last year and a half that have heightened concern about safety in the city.

In 2005 alone, there have been about 25 homicides in Prince George’s County.

Homicide cases aren’t always solved as quickly as the Gonzalez murder. Mario Alonso, a former hair stylist at Bananas Hair Salon on Route 1, was found dead last August in his Berwyn House Road home. The case remains unsolved.

In recent years, University Police have struggled to prevent an influx of criminals from outside areas. Police officials are still investigating a series of robberies and thefts that occurred on or near the campus over the last two months.

University President Dan Mote sent out a university-wide e-mail yesterday detailing steps the university has taken in recent years to keep students safe.

University spokesman George Cathcart said Mote wanted students, faculty and staff to understand the administration is deeply invested in making the campus and its surrounding areas as safe as possible.

“This has been on people’s minds,” Cathcart said. “[Mote] hears from parents and students about crime. We just want to let people know what has been happening.”

Cathcart said Mote had considered sending the e-mail for about three weeks.

He said it has no relation to the riots following Maryland’s win over Duke on Feb. 12.

In the e-mail, Mote mentions six new officers the university hired about a year and a half ago to better patrol and secure the area surrounding the campus.

He also discussed new security changes that will likely be installed at the University Courtyard apartment complex, where two students were robbed earlier this year.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.