Suspect in violent Goleta attack arrested

On Friday, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of a man believed to be behind the violent attack of a 49-year-old Goleta resident on Jan. 17 that left him fighting for his life.

51-year-old Goleta resident Edward Jesus Garcia was taken into custody Thursday morning after deputies received information that there was a car matching the description of the suspect vehicle in the 4200 block of Calle Real.

Initially, Garcia was detained under suspicion that he was under the influence of a controlled substance. Detectives from the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Bureau responded to the scene where, after further investigation, discovered enough evidence allegedly linking Garcia to the attempted murder case from Jan. 17.

The Sheriff’s Office says the 49-year-old victim and Garcia knew each other. The reason for the violent attack, which resulted in the victim suffering a stab wound and bloody head, remains under investigation.

Garcia was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail for attempted murder and his bail set at $1 million dollars.