A 19-year-old man from California, Miguel Diego Sandoval, has been arrested and charged with the murder of his former girlfriend and three of her housemates. The victims were reportedly shot while they were asleep, and the house was subsequently set on fire in an alleged attempt to conceal the crime. Sandoval faces four counts of murder, one count of first-degree residential burglary with a person present, and one count of arson of an inhabited structure or property.
The victims, identified as Edwin Garcia, 24, Matthew Montebello, 23, Janvi Maquindang, 24, and Christine Aca-ac, 29, were all residents of the house. Maquindang and Aca-ac were siblings. Prosecutors from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office allege that Sandoval intentionally killed the victims by lying in wait, committing multiple murders, and using a handgun.
The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. on November 16, when Sandoval allegedly broke into the victims’ residence in Lancaster, a city in northern Los Angeles county. According to prosecutors, Sandoval shot each of the victims fatally before setting the house on fire. Garcia, Aca-ac, and Maquindang were pronounced dead at the scene, while Montebello was rescued by deputies but later succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
Authorities reported that a fifth person was present in the house during the incident but managed to escape unharmed. The survivor, a 16-year-old girl and sister to one of the victims, reportedly hid in her closet and called 911 after hearing the gunshots. Firefighters arrived at the scene to find the house fully engulfed in flames, but they were able to control the fire and discover the bodies by 2:30 a.m.
Sandoval, who was reportedly a former boyfriend of one of the victims, made his initial court appearance this week. Further details about his relationship with the victims were not immediately available. He is currently being held without bond in the Los Angeles County Jail and is scheduled for arraignment on January 27, 2024. If convicted, Sandoval could face life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
District Attorney George Gascón expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and the Lancaster community, which has been deeply affected by the tragedy. Separate GoFundMe pages have been set up for the victims to assist their families during this difficult time.