Erika Sandoval, the 28-year-old ex-wife of an Exeter police officer, has been arrested for allegedly murdering the officer. Authorities announced the development in the case on Saturday, after serving Sandoval a warrant earlier that day.
ABC30 reported that authorities have accused Sandoval of shooting her ex-husband, Daniel Green. Green, 31, was found dead in his home on Friday. He was discovered when co-workers became concerned because he had not shown up for work.
“Because of that, officers from his agency went to his house in an effort to find him and locate him and make sure he was OK,” said Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux.
Exeter Police Chief Cliff Bush stated Green, a 10-year veteran of the department, was on a three-day break before missing his shift, so it is unclear exactly how long Green had been dead.
“As you would suspect, a small department like ours is family, so this hurts deeply. We’re all grieving right now. We’re still all in a state of shock,” said Bush.
According to Visalia Times-Delta, law enforcement agencies across the state are showing their support by wearing black bands over their badges. Some are displaying a thin, blue line on social media to show support.
Sandoval and Green were divorced two years ago. The two had a son, who is now 2-years-old and is staying with relatives.
Several years ago, Green was arrested for a domestic violence charge brought on by Sandoval. However, charges were never filed for either of them.
Boudreaux said Green died from gunshot wounds, but did not divulge how many wounds or where they were located. He did share that investigators recovered a weapon that they believe was used in the crime, but could not give further details about the weapon or the motive.
“The district attorney’s office has not received the case. They will receive this case come Monday morning, hopefully for an arraignment come Tuesday morning,” said Boudreaux.
Now that Sandoval, the sole suspect in the murder, is in custody, the Exeter Police Department is trying to find ways to cope with the loss of their colleague.
“Just a well-rounded officer. We’re going to feel his loss for a long time,” said Bush.
As of Sunday, Sandoval was being held at Bob Wiley Detention Facility. Her bail has been denied.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, the investigation is ongoing.
