A Santa Maria man has been charged with murder in connection with a fatal shooting Dec. 18 in northwest Santa Maria.
A criminal complaint against Jesus Juarez Garcilazo, 20, was filed Thursday in Santa Maria Superior Court.
Santa Maria police officers responded shortly before 4:30 p.m. Dec. 18 to the 800 block of West Donovan Road for a report of gunfire in the area, according to Lt. Jesse Silva.
Upon arrival, officers located Kevin Nunez-Escamilla, 20, with a fatal gunshot wound. The suspect had fled from the scene.
Police cordoned off the crime scene and began investigating the incident.
Detectives tracked the suspect shooter to the California city of Lindsay in Tulare County, Silva said Wednesday.
With the assistance of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department, detectives arrested Jesus Juarez Garcilazo, 20.
Garcilazo was transported back to Santa Maria by detectives, and booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on suspicion of murder.
Police originally spelled his last name as Gracilazo, while court records show it as Garcilazo.
On Thursday, a criminal complaint charged Garcilazo with murder and a sentencing enhancement for using a firearm and causing great bodily injury.
During the arraignment hearing, he pleaded not guilty, and the case will return to court Dec. 28.
Additionally, Jan. 11 has been scheduled to set a preliminary hearing.
His bail was set at $3 million, and he remained in custody at the Santa Barbara County Jail.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.