Sheriff’s office identifies victim in Los Olivos homicide
LOS OLIVOS, Calif. - The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office has released the name of a person who was found dead inside a vehicle near Los Olivos earlier this month.
17-year-old Santiago Maldonado Martinez of Shandon was found dead inside a vehicle on Foxen Canyon Road Sunday, March 7.
Originally considered to be a suspicious death, Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office later said they were investigating his death as a homicide.
Martinez was found dead inside a vehicle that was parked on the side of the road near Los Olivos. California Highway Patrol and Santa Barbara County Fire Department responded for an initial call of a fatal car crash. Martinez' body was found inside and it was later determined that the car was not involved in any crash.
The sheriff's office was contacted and took over the investigation, prompting a road closure near the scene.
Very few details of the death have been released by the sheriff's office. Officials said the investigation is still ongoing and more information will be released as it becomes available.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office. You can call and leave an anonymous tip by calling 805-681-4171. You can also leave an anonymous tip online.
