Santa Maria man alongside brother arrested on murder charges

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – The SLO County Sheriff's Office arrested Celestino Soriano Ortiz of Santa Maria, 40, alongside his brother for their role in the murder of Isabel Lucas Velasco.

Velasco, 50, went missing in Arroyo Grande on Sept. 12 and the SLOCSO and Fresno County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue teams have been looking for her since that day.

Search and rescue teams eventually found a body believed to be Velasco on Oct. 11 on Highway 198, west of Coalinga, where Velasco was from, and turned it over to the SLOCSO Coroner's Office for identification.

The case is now considered a homicide and deputies arrested Celestino for arson and as an accessory to murder, and his brother, Alejandro, 45, from Coalinga, for both arson and murder, according to the SLOCSO.

Both arson charges stem from burning Velasco's car after her disappearance, according to the SLOCSO.

Alejandro is believed to be the ex-boyfriend of Velasco, though the case remains under active investigation, according to the SLOCSO.

No further information or comment is available at this time, though anyone with such information can contact the following number.