SANTA MARIA, Calif.- Hours after police arrest three more men in connection with a bizarre Santa Maria murder, an eighth suspect is in custody.
28-year-old Anthony Solis pulled up to King Falafel's just before 5:00pm Thursday evening, but employees say minutes after Solis ordered, officers showed up and arrested him. Police are calling Solis the latest suspect connected in the murder of 28-year-old Anthony Ibarra.
Earlier in the day, Santa Maria Police arrested 55-year-old David Maldonado at the Santa Barbara County Probation Department, where he too was named a suspect in the murder.
"When he arrived for what would have been a pre scheduled meeting presumed to his probation terms," said Sergeant Mark Streker, Santa Maria Police Department.
Five minutes later, officers arrested two more suspects on the 700 block of East Central Avenue in Santa Maria. 33-year-old Santos Manuel Sauceda and 19-year old Robert Sosa, who police say are documented gang members.
"They were identified by an officer the traffic stop was made and they were taken into custody without incident," said Streker.
The investigation started Monday with a report of a violent crime at 1142 West Donovan. When police arrived they found evidence of an assault. Then Tuesday Ibarra's body was found stashed in the back of a u-haul truck found an Orcutt neighborhood.
At the time, police arrested Ramon Maldonado, a well-known gang member according to police, along with Carmen Cardenas and Pedro Torres.
"David Maldonado who was taken into custody today is Ramon Maldonado's father," explained Streker.
On Wednesday police arrested 42-year-old Reyes Gonzales, also a well-known gang member. Sources tell Central Coast News the victim, Anthony Ibarra, has two young children with a woman named Sunni Sosa who we've learned is Gonzales' and latest suspect, Robert Sosa's sister.
"There are very detailed and complex investigations...this could take weeks, months for it to be completed," said Streker.
Four of the eight suspects are expected to be in court Friday morning for an arraignment. The district attorney's office is alleging torture was used in Ibarra's death which could open the door for the death penalty.
