Murder suspect arrested at Nipomo golf course where dismembered body was found
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office arrested a third suspect in the 2018 murder of a man whose dismembered body was likely found in a pond at a Nipomo golf course nearly two years later.
Deputies arrested 33-year-old Benjamin Mersai of Grover Beach at that golf course, Blacklake Golf Resort, on Monday afternoon, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release
Mersai is a suspect in the 2018 murder of Joseph Martin Govey, according to the release.
Authorities believe Govey was killed and then dismembered in the city of Santa Maria before being taken and dumped in a pond at Blacklake Golf Resort in December 2018.
What appear to be his remains were not discovered until Sept. 21, nearly two years after his murder.
Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested Santa Maria residents Kimberly Machleit, 35, and Donald Anderson, 37, on Sept. 22.
Since then, Machleit has been charged with murder with special allegations for use of a firearm, according to a criminal complaint filed Sept. 24 in Santa Barbara County Superior Court.
She is believed to have killed Govey on or around Dec. 2 or 3, 2018. The criminal complaint did not include Govey’s age or hometown.
Anderson has been charged with being an accessory to the murder.
Mersai was arrested while “recreating at the same golf course where the decedent’s remains were located,” according to Monday’s news release.
Mersai was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail for felony murder, conspiracy and accessory to murder charges. He will be held without bail, the Sheriff’s Office said.
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