By Aaron Burgin, The Porterville Recorder
LINDSAY - The suspect in the city's first homicide since 2003 and his girlfriend who witnessed the March 18 shooting were both arrested in Oregon on Thursday afternoon, Lindsay public safety officials said.

Salem, Ore., Police Department Lt. Bill Kohlmeyer confirmed the arrest of Catalino Carranza - who allegedly shot and killed Hermengildo Pena - and Margarita Miranda 10 days after the shooting.

Miranda, who was believed to be held against her will, was located unharmed. Police believe that Carranza was making plans to leave the country at the time of his arrest.

“We did arrest them today, and we are currently holding Carranza on local charges,” Kohlmeyer said Thursday. “Carranza will face first-degree murder charges in California.” Carranza and Miranda both await extradition to California. Carranza, 54, allegedly shot the 43-year-old Pena in the backyard of Miranda's home on the 300 block of Santa Fe Street.

Pena was visiting the son of Miranda, his ex-girlfriend, on March 18 when he allegedly got into an argument with Carranza, Miranda's current boyfriend. Sometime during the altercation at about 6:30 p.m. Carranza allegedly pulled out a gun and shot Pena in the neck and stomach.

Carranza then took Miranda, possibly at gunpoint, in a sky-blue 1995 Toyota Corolla and fled the scene. Pena died in the early morning hours of March 19 as a result of his injuries. Lindsay public safety officers located the vehicle in Strathmore the evening of March 20, but did not locate either Carranza or Miranda.

Detectives from the Quad City Task Force, a joint-powers agreement between the cities of Lindsay, Farmersville, Exeter and Woodlake, received a tip that the two were in Oregon.

Detective Ryan Heinks said that he and Capt. Rich Wilkinson drove to Oregon on March 23 in an attempt to locate them, but returned March 25 when they were unable to find the suspect and the woman. Heinks said that officers Thursday received new information giving them Carranza and Miranda's exact location.

Salem police officers arrested them at a family member's house shortly after 2 p.m. Thursday. Miranda is being held on several felony drug-related warrants, while Carranza is being held on suspicion of first-degree murder, and a “no bail” hold from the U.S. Department of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, Heinks said. “He has been deported before, and was living here illegally,” Heinks said.

Carranza and Miranda are currently in custody in the Marion County Jail awaiting an extradition hearing at the Marion County Circuit Court sometime during the next few days, Kohlmeyer said. With the assistance of multiple law-enforcement agencies, Lindsay police have been able to arrest the suspects in the city's two most recent shootings, including a Monday-evening drive-by shooting, Wilkinson said.

“Our officers did a fantastic job this week, considering the circumstances,” Wilkinson said. “We knew we would arrest Mr. Carranza sooner or later, we just had to keep at it, and work leads and eventually we would succeed in bringing him to justice.”

Contact Aaron Burgin at 784-5000, Ext. 1047, or aburgin@portervillerecorder.com.

This story was published in The Porterville Recorder on March 30, 2007