Man charged with murdering Lompoc soldier to stand trial

By Julia Nguyen

Published December 15, 2021 5:18 pm

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. -- The man charged with murdering a Lompoc soldier back in 2019 will stand trial for the deadly shooting.

Walter Morales, 28, has been charged in the 2019 fatal shooting of Marlon Brumfield, a soldier who was on leave and visiting family in Lompoc.

Investigators believe Brumfield was mistaken as a rival gang member and was fatally shot.

Morales was arrested in July 2020 after a lengthy standoff with police at a home in Santa Maria.

Morales has also been charged in connection with a different shooting on July 11, 2020.

Morales remains in custody and is due in court for his arraignment on January 11, 2022.

Francisco Gutierrez-Ortega, 26, was also arrested in connection to the murder of Brumfield.

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