Assault incident in Santa Maria leads to murder investigation and arrest – edhat

Case number: SMPD24-0010508
On Sunday, July 28, 2024, at approximately 7:38 p.m., officers from the Santa Maria Police Department (SMPD) were dispatched to a self-storage complex in the 1900 block of N. Preisker Lane in response to a reported assault.

Upon arrival, SMPD officers located an adult male casualty who was unconscious and suffering from severe head trauma. Officers immediately rendered aid and assist until Santa Maria Fire Department and AMR Ambulance personnel arrived and took over. The victim was subsequently transported to the Marian Regional Medical Center Emergency Room for treatment.

The SMPD Patrol Bureau quickly determined that the victim had been assaulted, resulting in serious, life-threatening injuries. Officers learned that the attacker, identified as 30-year-old Carlos Israel Loyola of Santa Maria, had stolen the victim’s car and fled the area after the attack. SMPD officers found Loyola behind the wheel of the victim’s vehicle in an unincorporated area in San Luis Obispo County near the intersection of US 101 & SR 166. Loyola attempted to elude officers, but collided with a marked SMPD police car, disabling his vehicle. SMPD officers safely took Loyola into custody at approximately 8:02 p.m., less than a half-hour after the initial 911 call. No one was injured in the collision.

Tragically, despite the best efforts of emergency responders and medical personnel, the victim succumbed to his injuries and was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The victim’s identity is currently being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Loyola was booked into the Santa Barbara County North Branch Jail on 187 counts of murder and is being held on $2 million bail.

The Santa Maria Police Department Detective Bureau and Crime Lab arrived at the scene. The Detective Bureau has taken over the investigation, which is still ongoing.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Whitney at (805) 928-3781 extension 1329 or the Communications Center at (805) 928-3781 extension 2277.

Anonymous tips can be submitted to the SMPD Tip Line at (805) 928-3781 extension 2677 (COPS).