A devastating home invasion in Murrieta has left an elderly man dead and his wife hospitalized following a violent attack on Wednesday morning. According to KCRA, a 911 call was placed shortly after 8 a.m. by a woman reporting that her and her husband had been assaulted by an intruder wielding a screwdriver and a knife. The Murrieta Police Department responded to the scene on Old Spring Road to discover the 70-year-old man deceased and his wife with serious injuries.
The woman, who managed to make the emergency call, was found to have been stabbed in the head with a screwdriver. Her husband succumbed to his knife wounds before officers could arrive to aid. The suspect had fled, prompting a manhunt by authorities. The ensuing search culminated just before 9 a.m. when police located a suspect, later identified as 36-year-old Manuel Arturo Alvarez, hiding in a ravine. As reported by FOXLA, Alvarez, hailing from Modesto, was found behind a nearby residence and refused to cooperate, attempting to further conceal himself in bushes before being apprehended with the assistance of a K-9 unit.
The survivor of the attack was transported to a local hospital and is reportedly in stable condition. Alvarez, who sustained injuries during the apprehension, was treated and subsequently booked into Cois Byrd Detention Center, where he is facing homicide and attempted homicide charges. Inquiries into the motive and circumstances surrounding this attack are ongoing. Murrieta Police have urged anyone with information to step forward and contact Detective Munyer at 951-461-6365 or to reach out via email.
