A man was found dead Monday afternoon near the Veterans Memorial gazebo in Guadalupe, prompting the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office to take over an investigation into what officials are calling a suspicious death. No lifesaving measures were attempted when he was discovered, and his identity has not yet been made public.
According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, Guadalupe police officers responded at approximately 1:56 p.m. Monday to the 800-block of Guadalupe Street, near the gazebo area of the Veterans Memorial, after a caller reported a man down. Officers arrived to find an adult male deceased at the scene. The Sheriff's Office said no lifesaving measures were attempted.
Guadalupe Police Hand Off Investigation
Given the circumstances surrounding the death, the Guadalupe Police Department requested assistance from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, which has since assumed responsibility for the investigation, per the same agency's statement. Guadalupe police are continuing to assist sheriff's investigators as the case moves forward, as first reported by Cal Coast News.
Guadalupe Police Chief Michael Cash confirmed the arrangement, saying the Sheriff's Office would lead the investigation while his department continues to support the effort. “Our department will continue to assist their investigators as we work together to determine the circumstances surrounding this death,” Cash said, according to the sheriff's statement.
Identity Withheld Pending Next-of-Kin Notification
Authorities have not released the name of the man found dead. The identity of the decedent will be released following confirmation and notification to next of kin, the Sheriff's Office said.
Guadalupe has seen scrutiny over suspicious deaths before. In a separate case from 2014, the body of Javier Alcantar Limon was found off West Main Street near Guadalupe Beach, and officials later confirmed the manner of death as homicide, according to the Santa Maria Times. That case is unrelated to Monday's death, but it underscores how long investigations into suspicious deaths in the small Central Coast city can take to resolve.
