CARLSBAD — Three people were arrested at a local motel in connection with the April 1 homicide and robbery of a 63-year-old man, which makes him the second suspected homicide victim the city has had in two consecutive Fridays.
The medical examiner’s office reports that the victim died at 1:24 a.m. of a shotgun wound to the chest.
However, it was earlier reported that he died of a stab wound.
The victim has been identified as Michael Michel Sahagun, 63, of the 3000 block of Valley Street, which was his residence and also the location if his fatal injury, according to authorities.
Grant MacGregor Hunter, 23, and Mercedes Tiffany Yorba, 19, were both arrested, booked into jail and charged with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary and conspiracy. Neither suspect is eligible for posting bail.
Gary Dean Gomez, 26, was also arrested for possession of narcotics and aiding and abetting after the homicide, Sgt. Mickey Williams of the Carlsbad Police Department said.
Court records show Gomez is being held on $20,000 bail.
All three suspects are expected to be arraigned in a Vista courtroom April 6.
Williams said that based on evidence found at the scene, two of the suspects who were arrested were involved in a robbery of the victim.
The latest killing trails the death of Devin Allen, 27, who died near Hensley’s Flying Elephant Pub on March 25 of a single stab wound to the abdomen.
Carlsbad police had identified Juan Rocha as a suspect in the homicide, and Rocha was arrested on March 29 at a bus station in Indianapolis, Ind.
Rocha was booked into a jail in Indiana on a murder charge and also charged with assisting a street gang to commit a felony.
But police don’t believe that the two recent murders are connected.
“We have no reason to believe these are related,” Williams said.
He said it is infrequent for Carlsbad to have two homicides in such a short period of time.
The three suspects arrested in connection with Sahagun’s murder were found by Carlsbad Police SWAT officers at 4 a.m. April 2, in a room at Motel 6 on 3708 Plaza Drive, according to the Carlsbad Police Department.
The Carlsbad Police Department is continuing its investigation of any additional suspects and requests that anyone who has information on either of these homicides please call (760) 931-2197.
