A 24-year-old man in California, Luis Gustavo Aroyo-Lopez, has admitted to the brutal murder of his grandmother, according to court documents. Aroyo-Lopez, who is accused of beheading his grandmother and disposing of her head in a nearby creek, could face a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 26 years. The admission of guilt came after an hour-long private meeting between the prosecution and defense lawyers, prior to a preliminary hearing.
Family members were visibly emotional as Aroyo-Lopez entered his plea. His sentencing is scheduled for June 27. The Santa Rosa Police Department was initially alerted to a potential homicide on November 2, around 3:40 p.m. Upon arrival at the 2500 block of Pomo Trail, officers discovered the decapitated body of 64-year-old Elvia Lopez-Aroyo. Her head was missing from the scene.
Investigators concluded that Aroyo-Lopez had carried out a “targeted attack” on his grandmother, leaving the scene with her head. Several weapons were recovered from the residence, but the motive behind the attack remains undisclosed.
In collaboration with the U.S. Marshals Service, detectives circulated information about Aroyo-Lopez to other law enforcement agencies. On November 4, a San Francisco Police Department patrol officer recognized Aroyo-Lopez from a wanted persons bulletin at the Transbay Transit Center. Aroyo-Lopez, who has a distinctive “420” and marijuana leaf tattoo on his head, was apprehended without incident.
Santa Rosa police detectives traveled approximately 60 miles to San Francisco to transport Aroyo-Lopez back to the Sonoma County Main Adult Detention Facility. With the suspect in custody, the search for Lopez-Aroyo’s head continued. It was eventually found on the south bank of the Santa Rosa Creek, about half a mile from the crime scene, on the evening of November 4. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
The shocking incident has left the victim’s family devastated. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up by one of her grandchildren to cover funeral expenses. The campaign describes Lopez-Aroyo as a loving person who adored her grandchildren and did not deserve her tragic fate.
Aroyo-Lopez has a criminal history, having previously served time for assault with a deadly weapon and weapons possession charges. These charges were not related to the current case. A neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous for safety reasons, recounted seeing Aroyo-Lopez walking towards the victim’s home on the day of the murder. She also recalled the horrifying moment when another woman discovered the victim’s decapitated body.