A business associate was arrested in San Diego County early Friday as the suspect in the murder of a Santa Barbara doctor, who was found dead in his Greenhill Way home along with his wife and their young daughter.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown called the three killings “diabolical” and “one of the most odious” cases he, and the Sheriff’s Department, has ever seen.
The suspect — Pierre Haobsh, 27, of Oceanside — was taken into custody at gunpoint in San Diego County at about 12:30 a.m. and transported to Santa Barbara, Brown said at a midafternoon news conference at sheriff’s headquarters.
Deputies were dispatched to the two-story house at 4640 Greenhill Way on Wednesday evening for a check-the-welfare call. Inside they found the bodies of Dr. Weidong “Henry” Han, 57; his wife, 29-year-old Huijie “Jennie” Yu; and their daughter, Emily Han, a kindergartner at Foothill School.
The causes of death were still pending autopsies, but investigators say all three victims suffered gunshot wounds.
Authorities say Haobsh was recently involved in a business transaction with Han, who was well-known for his work in Chinese herbal medicine and western medicine. Han authored books on the subject, and he and his wife operated the Santa Barbara Herb Clinic at 3886 State St.
Investigators were still looking into the motive, but Brown said it appears to be for financial gain.
The case remains an active murder investigation, he said.
Brown described a brief timeline that placed Jennie Han and Emily last seen alive at 7 p.m. Tuesday, while Henry Han was last seen at 10 p.m. Tuesday.
It’s still unknown if the murders occurred Tuesday night or Wednesday, he said.
Deputies arrived at the house at 5:32 p.m. Wednesday after one of Han’s business colleagues called to say he had missed an appointment in Los Angeles, which was “highly uncharacteristic of him,” Brown said.
Two business associates had also gone to the Hans’ and found the front door ajar, with both of the family’s cars in the garage.
Deputies entered and searched the residence, and they found three bodies in the garage with indications all of them suffered gunshot wounds, Brown said.
He said all three were bound in plastic wrap and duct tape.
Autopsies have not been conducted yet, but the preliminary indication is that one of them — Emily — may have been struck in addition to the gunshot wounds, Brown said.
The murders were “diabolical,” he said.
“Emily would have turned 6 tomorrow,” he noted.
Sheriff’s and state Department of Justice Crime Lab investigators processed the crime scene, but Brown did not release details on what evidence led investigators to Haobsh as a suspect.
A no-bail arrest warrant and a search warrant were issued for Haobsh, who was spotted in San Diego County on Friday morning in a car that detectives had matched to him, Brown said.
He was arrested without incident, and a search turned up a loaded 9mm gun and property that investigators believe belonged to one of the victims, Brown said.
Haobsh was transported to Santa Barbara County, during which time he became ill and was taken to the hospital, authorities said. He was medically cleared and Brown said he was to be booked into County Jail on three counts of murder.
Haobsh does not have a criminal record.
Brown and District Attorney Joyce Dudley praised the work of investigators for getting an arrest within 36 hours.
Brown also thanked the FBI, the Oceanside Police Department and Undersheriff Barney Melekian, who headed the investigation while Brown was in Sacramento for a mental health conference Thursday.
The murders of the Hans are a “terrible blow to the Santa Barbara area and medical community at large,” he said.
Dudley said her office will decide what charges to file against Haobsh by early next week.
They could include multiple murder counts and special circumstances and allegations, including personal use of a firearm, murder for financial gain and lying in wait — some of which would make Haobsh eligible for the death penalty.
The scene near the Hans’ home was quiet Friday. A small memorial of flowers and candles had been set up, and yellow police tape remained in place to limit access to the property off North San Antonio Road, west of the county government complex on Calle Real.
A tearful woman, who declined to give her name, had stopped by to pay her respects.
“Dr. Han was a wonderful man,” said the woman, who was a patient. “And his wife was great, too.”
Emily’s killing is another jolt to the Foothill School community, which has now recently lost three of its current and former students to mass murder.
In 2014, Foothill student Vincent Holzer, 10, and his older brother, 13-year-old Sebastian, a former student, were killed in the family home, along with their grandparents, Sheila and Bill Holzer. The boys’ father, Nicolas Holzer, has been charged with multiple counts of murder.
News of the Han family murders came the day before spring break started for the Foothill School community, but Goleta Union School District staff and the county Department of Behavioral Wellness coordinated a comfort center for families and staff Friday.
“This is a terrible tragedy and we are putting every effort into supporting the children, families and staff who are deeply affected by another instance of horrific violence in our community,” Superintendent Bill Banning said.
Staff from Behavioral Health, the Foothill School therapist and community members were available at the comfort center, said Margaret Saleh, assistant superintendent of pupil services.
The district has resources to help parents talk to young children about the tragedy, and parents are advised to watch for any signs that a child is struggling with coping, Saleh said.
“Just because the school went through this in the past, the impact may be harder and need more attention,” she said.
Saleh will be available during spring break next week to help connect people with resources. She can be reached at 805.681.1200 x220.
“We do encourage parents to listen to children, to assure the children that they’re safe, to try and maintain normal schedules for children, and limit adult conversations around children,” she said.
“They’re just not emotionally ready to understand the depths of what’s often revealed in these investigations.”
The district is working hard to support the students, staff and the community, Saleh said.
“They’re in a fragile state right now.”
People will work directly with classes when school resumes April 4, with particular attention to Emily Han’s kindergarten class and the upper-grade class students who were big buddies to the kindergartners, Saleh said.
[Scroll down for guide from the Department of Behavioral Wellness on talking to children about trauma and death.]
“Yesterday our community was confronted by the tragic loss of lives due to violence,” Banning said in a statement to the school community Friday.
“It has been confirmed that one of the lives is that of a kindergarten student who attended school in our district. Words cannot begin to express the deep sadness that has overcome us. I have informed the staff at Foothill Elementary School, and we are directing all district counseling services and support to the school.
“They will meet with parents to help them understand how to discuss loss and grief with their children. It is impossible to express the tremendous pain that this situation presents to us, but I know that the remarkable team of professionals throughout our district will join together to keep a close eye on our students and work to ensure they have the support they need at this time.
“On behalf of everyone in our district, I want to express that we will keep those touched by this tragedy in our hearts and thoughts.”
— Noozhawk managing editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
How to Talk to Children After Trauma and Death