Suspect Arrested for Killing Ex-Girlfriend's Boyfriend

VISALIA – Police arrested a man suspected of shooting his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend in his driveway early Monday morning in Visalia’s first homicide of the year.

Edgar Lugo

The Visalia Police Department took 32-year-old Edgar Lugo into custody Monday evening without incident after initially identifying his vehicle and pulling him over. He is suspected of killing 36-year-old Clifford St. Martin around 2:16 a.m. Monday.

Visalia police responded to the scene early Monday in the 400 block of West Race Street after getting calls of suspicious activity on the street. Before they arrived, new information came in that shots had been fired in the area.

Police discovered St. Martin’s body in the driveway when they got to the scene, authorities said. He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to Kaweah Delta Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police were able to identify Lugo as the suspect through witness reports. Police say they are confident they have the right man.

The shooting may have been related to an alleged grudge between Lugo and St. Martin. The latter was living with his girlfriend of one year, Claudia Villarreal. Lugo was Villarreal’s ex-boyfriend and the father of her child. Police say there had been tension between the victim and the suspect recently.

St. Martin’s death marks the city’s first homicide of the year. Last year, Visalia had 5 homicides.

Lugo was booked into the Tulare County Jail on murder charges and is being held without bail.

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