Police have arrested a man and his girlfriend believed to be connected to last Friday’s arson/murder on Norwood Avenue, which left a 32-year-old man dead in his home. More details about the incident have also been released, including that the victim was stabbed before the fire was set.
David Acuna, 29, was arrested Wednesday morning on suspicion of murdering 32-year-old Patrick Kendrick. Acuna’s girlfriend, 30-year-old Guadalupe Cabrera, is also believed to have been involved in the incident. She was arrested on suspicion of accessory to murder, and arson to an inhabited structure, according to the Sacramento Police Department.
During the course of the investigation, SPD detectives learned that Acuna and Kendrick knew each other and were in an argument prior to the incident, according to a news release. After stabbing Kendrick and setting fire to his apartment, police say Acuna fled from the scene in a white vehicle, and his whereabouts were unknown until a few days later.
On Tuesday, Feb. 5, detectives found the Honda Civic they believed witnesses saw leaving the scene parked in the north area of Sacramento, and continued their search for Acuna. On Wednesday morning, around 8 a.m., police found Acuna inside his apartment on the 1400 block of Brewerton Drive. However, he had severe burns on his upper body and was in need of immediate medical attention, according to the SPD.
The burns are believed to have been sustained during the incident; police also found Cabera, Acuna’s girlfriend, who is believed to have been involved. Acuna is being treated at a local hospital.
On Friday, Feb. 1, the Sacramento Fire Department responded to a call of an apartment fire on the 3700 block of Norwood Avenue, and found it fully engulfed in flames. While putting it out, firefighters found Kendrick’s body inside the home and called police. The SPD determined it was a possible homicide due to Kendrick’s upper body trauma, and that someone tried to cover up with a fire.
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