February 20, 2022 – Santa Barbara County, Ca.
On the night of February 10, 2022, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department dispatchers received a 911 call reporting “shots heard” at Goleta Valley’s Pacifica Suites Hotel. According to SBSD Public Information Officer Raquel Zick, responding deputies “found evidence of a shooting, but no suspects or victims at the scene.
An investigation into the circumstances was initiated. Less than an hour later, doctors at Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital reported the arrival of “a gunshot wound victim” identified at 43-year- old Goleta resident Richard Andrew Cardano. Before detectives arrived at the hospital, Cardano died from his injuries, leaving law enforcement authorities to aggressively pursue any
additional information as to his killers.
It didn’t take detectives long to learn that “this was not a random attack,” and that Cardano and his killer “were familiar with each other.” Less than a week later, suspicion for the shooting fell on 34-year-old Santa Barbara resident Isaiah Alexander. He was contacted on February 14 th , taken into custody, and transported to Santa Barbara County Jail, where he was booked on a
charge of felony murder, with his bail set at $2,000,000.
Just two days later, detectives located and arrested an alleged conspirator in the case, 36-year- old Santa Barbara resident Anthony Torres Lopez. Lopez was transported to Santa Barbara County Jail where he was booked on a charges of felony robbery and felony extortion with his bail set at $50,000.
Photos: Courtesy www.pacificasuites.com
