Three Santa Maria residents have been arrested in connection with the homicide of Javier Alcantar Limon, whose body was found two months ago near an irrigation ditch with multiple gunshot wounds.
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives have been investigating the murder of Limon, 37, and determined the case is related to criminal street gang and drug activity, spokeswoman Kelly Hoover said.
A group of farm workers found Limon’s remains just off the side of West Main Street, near the entrance of the Guadalupe Dunes, in the morning of Aug. 19.
Detectives arrested three suspects in September who first appeared in court this week. The arrests were not made public until Tuesday.
“It was and still is an active investigation involving drug and gang activity,” Hoover said.
Sheriff’s detectives arrested Santa Maria man Gregorio Agustine, 26, on Sept. 11 and siblings Yesenia Granados, 24, and Arturo Granados, 22, on Sept. 24, Hoover said.
Agustine and Arturo Granados are being charged with murder and several special circumstances including lying in wait, kidnap, torture, and committing murder for criminal street gang purposes, Hoover said.
Yesenia Granados was charged with being an accessory after the fact, a gang violation and a probation violation for possession of a controlled substance.
After a search warrant was conducted on the 400 block of West Fesler Street in Santa Maria on Sept. 11, Agustine was also charged with possession of ammunition and possession of a controlled substance for sale.
All three suspects are being held without bail in the Santa Barbara County Jail and will appear in Santa Barbara County Superior Court again Friday.
— Noozhawk news editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
