Oxnard police arrest 2 in connection with woman's fatal shooting
Oxnard police have arrested a man and woman on suspicion of murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a woman on March 17.
The suspects, Margarita Jimenez, 33, and Jorge Garfias, 36, were taken into custody without incident Wednesday morning by members of the special enforcement unit and a K-9 police dog team, Oxnard Police Department officials said.
The victim, 35-year-old Yanelly Vargas of Oxnard, died of a gunshot wound to the chest, according to the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office. The agency identified her as Yanelly Vargas Sandoval, while police officials use only Vargas as a family name.
The incident was reported shortly before 11:55 p.m. on a Sunday night. Police were called to a fight with possible gunshots and found Vargas in a parking area by the All Star Auto Body shop, 1021 Industrial Ave. She was unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the right side of her torso, authorities said, and died after being taken by ambulance to Ventura County Medical Center.
The site is off East Wooley Road, east of the Five Points intersection.
The police investigation determined the victim had previously been in a romantic relationship with Garfias.
Nevertheless, the motive remains unclear, said Sgt. Jaime Miranda.
"We're still trying to figure that out," he said, referring to what prompted the shooting. Detectives haven't yet established whether the former dating relationship was a factor, Miranda said.
The sergeant noted the victim has many family members in Oxnard who have been devastated by her death. She was out with friends that night, he said.
In a separate case, Jimenez was arrested in a 2016 shooting and eventually pleaded guilty to assault with a firearm. She was sentenced to five years in state prison and received 256 days credit for her jail time, court records show. She was also ordered to pay $300 in restitution.
Jimenez and Garfias are both Oxnard residents, prosecutors said. Police initially said Garfias was from Ventura.
As of Thursday, both suspects remained in county jail facilities, each with bail set at $2 million, jail records showed. Arraignment has been scheduled for Friday afternoon in Ventura County Superior Court.
The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Ricardo Vega at 805-385-7688.
This story may be updated.
Gretchen Wenner is the breaking news and city editor at the Star. She can be reached at gretchen.wenner@vcstar.com.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Man, woman arrested on suspicion of murder in Oxnard woman's shooting
