Both the Lompoc and Guadalupe police departments are investigating recent deaths in their jurisdictions.
Law enforcement agencies have yet to make arrests in the two separate investigations into the deaths, which have been described as a homicide in Lompoc and a suspicious death in Guadalupe.
The death in Guadalupe was discovered after officers responded to a report of a gunshot at a home in the 700 block of Olivera Street at about 6:30 p.m. on March 21. There, they located the victim, described as a 17-year-old male, who had sustained a single gunshot wound.
The circumstances surrounding the teen’s death were unclear, according to police, and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office was called to assist in the investigation. Sheriff’s officials say they are considering the death to be suspicious, and have not released the identity of the victim.
The death in Lompoc occurred on March 24. Officers responded to an emergency call from a home in the 400 block of South J Street just after 8:30 p.m. The victim, an adult male, had been stabbed. Officers began providing first aid until fire department and emergency personnel took over. The victim was transported to Lompoc Valley Medical Center, where he later died of his injuries.
The department determined that the case is a homicide, but officials have not released the man’s name pending notification of his next of kin. As of March 26, law enforcement had not made any arrests in the case.
The death marks the second homicide in Lompoc this month. On March 4, a 17-year-old babysitter was killed by a stray bullet from what police believe was a gang-involved drive-by shooting. That case remains open and ongoing.
This article appears in Mar 28 – Apr 4, 2019.