The husband of Leyva Elizabeth Oregel Garcia, a Santa Barbara County woman found dead in a San Ysidro parking lot, has been identified as the prime suspect in her murder according to 10News. The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) suspects 44-year-old German Armando Luna Salazar may be responsible for her death and that he could have potentially fled to Mexico.
On the early morning of July 4, a security guard discovered the body of 32-year-old Leyva Elizabeth Oregel Garcia in an SUV parked at the Las Americas Premium Outlets mall NBC San Diego reports. Garcia's family had reported her missing on July 2, just days before her body was found with blunt force trauma injuries to her upper body, turning the case into a homicide investigation. Garcia's husband, Luna Salazar, is now the prime suspect.
SDPD detectives have been collaborating with investigators from the Guadalupe Police Department and Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office to uncover the details of the case. With the investigation progressing, all roads seem to point to domestic violence as the likely motive behind Oregel Garcia's murder. Luna Salazar, last seen on foot leaving the area where his wife's body was found, is described as a Hispanic man, 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighing between 120 and 130 pounds.
The family of Garcia, a mother of two young daughters, has been grappling with this horrific news, seeking justice for their loved one. In an interview with KSBY, Garcia's uncle, Jose Mejia, shared the family's heartbreak, stating that the circumstances surrounding her death have made it immensely difficult for the family to process, especially her parents.
In their search for answers, Garcia's family has been reaching out for assistance from authorities in Mexico, at the border, and within the general public. With information remaining scarce, Garcia's parents recalled the last time they saw her on July 1, 2023, leaving for work with her ex-husband, Luna Salazar, whom they haven't been able to contact since.
As the desperate search for Luna Salazar continues, SDPD urges anyone who sees the suspect or who may have any information regarding the case to call them immediately at 619-531-2293. Anonymous tipsters can contact Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477. With the suspect still at large, the struggle for closure persists for Garcia's grieving family who are left to remember her as a loving, caring, and outgoing person who loved to sing and dance KSBY reports.
