2 Santa Maria men arrested in home invasion robbery in Lompoc area

Two Santa Maria men are facing attempted murder and other charges in connection with a home-invasion robbery that seriously injured a 65-year-old Lompoc-area man earlier this month, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.

Ruben Jesse Gomez Jr., 38, and Javier Castillo Vasquez, 38, were arrested Saturday after detectives served them with search and arrest warrants, said Sgt. Caniel Calderon.

They were booked into Santa Barbara County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder, robbery of an inhabited dwelling, kidnapping, elder abuse, and conspiracy, Calderon said.

They were being held in lieu of $1 million bail each.

“One of the suspects was known to the victim prior to the crime occurring,” Calderon said.

At about 5 a.m. on Jan. 12, the attackers rang the doorbell of a residence in the Lasalle Canyon Road area southwest of the city, said Kelly Hoover, a sheriff’s spokeswoman.

The resident, who was home alone, went to the door, but could not see anyone through the peephole.

The victim opened the front door, and was immediately attacked by the suspects, Hoover said.

The suspects struck the victim multiple times with a pistol and what the victim described as a “night stick.’”

Hoover said the victim attempted to fight back, but was overwhelmed by the attackers.

After the victim gave the man money, she said, the suspects used duct tape to secure his hands behind his back and left the room. The victim suffered a fractured skull and facial lacerations, she said.

Despite his injuries, the resident was able to drive to the home of a friend, who called 9-1-1 and took him to the hospital. The victim was hospitalized, but was expected to survive.

Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.

This story was originally published January 21, 2019 at 10:15 AM.