MURRIETA, CA – Residents of a Murrieta neighborhood were jolted Wednesday morning after a violent home invasion left one man dead and a woman hospitalized, police said.
Authorities responded to a distress call just before 8:30 a.m. from a home on Old Spring Road, where a woman reported she and her husband had been stabbed by an unknown assailant. According to investigators, the attacker used a knife against the 70-year-old man and inflicted wounds to the woman’s head with a screwdriver.
Emergency personnel arriving on the Murrieta scene found the man had succumbed to his injuries. The woman, whose name has not been released, was given immediate medical assistance and later transported to a local hospital, where she remained in stable condition as of Wednesday.
The suspect, later identified as 36-year-old Manual Alvarez, reportedly fled the residence through a back door. Police said a search was quickly launched, with officers canvassing the area in an effort to locate the attacker. The woman described the suspect as an unfamiliar man, bearded and barefoot, wearing black clothing.
Within half an hour, officers tracked a man matching the description to a ravine behind a nearby home on Wild Flower Drive. Despite repeated warnings, the suspect refused to surrender. Law enforcement deployed a police K-9, which ultimately led to Alvarez’s apprehension.
Alvarez sustained minor injuries during the arrest and was treated at a hospital before being booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center. As of Friday, he had not yet been cleared for a court appearance due to his injuries, authorities said.
Detectives believe the suspect gained entry into the home through an unlocked door and have described the incident as unprovoked and random. Law enforcement officials have declined to release the victims’ identities pending family notifications.
The violence stunned neighbors, who characterized the area as quiet and close-knit. Several residents said they were shocked by the sudden presence of police officers and a helicopter circling above as authorities searched for the suspect. Some recounted seeing officers fanned out through the neighborhood, an unusual sight in what is typically a peaceful community.
According to law enforcement, homicide and attempted homicide charges have been filed against Alvarez. The investigation remains ongoing, as authorities work to establish a motive behind the attack.
Murrieta police urged anyone with additional information about the incident to contact their department as they continue to piece together details surrounding the morning’s events.