A Goleta man was being held without bail in Santa Barbara County Jail after he allegedly attempted to kill his ex-girlfriend’s boyfriend late last month, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.
Jorge Luis Jijoni-Lagara, 39, was the subject of an intensive search in the El Encanto Heights neighborhood of Goleta the night of March 25.
The incident began at about 7:30 p.m. when deputies were dispatched to the 1100 block of Via Regina in the Eastern Goleta Valley on a report of an intruder fleeing from a residence, Raquel Zick, sheriff’s public information officer, told Noozhawk.
“When deputies arrived, they located an adult male victim who had been stabbed multiple times,” Zick said.
The victim was given first aid at the scene, then transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with serious injuries, she added.
His name and details on his condition were not available. Zick said he was expected to recover from his wounds.
Deputies identified Jijoni-Lagara as the suspect in the attack, Zick said, and conducted a search of the El Encanto Heights neighborhood where he reportedly lived, but were unable to find him.
On April 2, detectives served search and arrest warrants at a residence on the 200 block of Hillview Road in Goleta and took Jijon-Lagara into custody without incident, Zick said.
Jijoni-Lagara was arraigned in Superior Court in Santa Barbara on April 6.
He pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, stalking, and child cruelty, along with several special allegations.
He is due back in court on April 14 for a preliminary hearing setting.