Pair Suspected in Slayings of Three Hemet Women Arrested in Las Vegas

HEMET (CNS) - A young woman and her boyfriend, who are suspected of killing three of her housemates in Hemet, possibly over a rent dispute, were behind bars today after being apprehended in Las Vegas.

Acting Hemet police Chief Eddie Pust said Anthony Damion McCloud, 18, and Jordan Destinee Guzman, 20, were arrested Thursday on suspicion of the slayings of Wendy Lopez-Araiza, 46, her daughter, 21-year-old Genesis Lopez- Araiza, and 18-year-old Trinity Clyde.

``We hope that with further investigation, prosecution and conviction, we could provide some type of closure for the family members and friends to include community members that this has affected in our community,'' Pust said.

He said patrol officers were called to the shared residence in the 1400 block of Rabbit Peak Way, near Rexford Drive, about 9 p.m. Wednesday after Clyde's father went to the location and found one of the victims lying in a pool of blood.

``During further investigation, information was provided that when the father got home that the two suspects were in the residence and immediately left and stole a vehicle belonging to Trinity Clyde,'' Pust told reporters during a briefing at Hemet City Hall.

``During the investigation, information led ... to Las Vegas, where we contacted the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, who assisted in locating the suspects,'' he said. ``They saw them leave an apartment, got into the vehicle that was stolen and they apprehended the two suspects.''

According to Pust, there was an unspecified disagreement about the rent that Guzman was paying to reside at the Rabbit Peak Way property, which could have been a factor in the fatal attack. He declined to elaborate.

The victims all suffered injuries consistent with blunt force trauma, Pust said.

The suspects are being held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center in Nevada, awaiting extradition to Riverside County.

Tim Mead, Wendy Lopez-Araiza's brother, told reporters Thursday night that the murders were ``a real big shock.''

He described his sister and nieces as ``really kind people, (who would) give you the shirt off their back,'' and said his sister was helping Guzman, whom he described as homeless, get her life straightened out.

``They were just trying to help out this girl and, unfortunately, it just turned into a bad situation.''


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