Left to right: Eric Bullard, 18, of Tulare, Matthew Makert, 22, of Visalia, Landon Woods, 20, of Exeter, and three others were arrested in connection with the murder of Angel Puga, 25, of Farmersville. (Tulare County SO)
Share
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Six suspects were arrested early Thursday in connection with the brutal assault and murder of a Farmersville man, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office announced.
Related Story: Tulare County Apartment Shooting Sends One to the Hospital
The incident unfolded around 1 a.m. on Oct. 27, when deputies responded to a report of a man lying near Avenue 291 and Road 166 in Farmersville, bleeding on the ground.
Deputies found Angel Puga, 25, of Farmersville, who had suffered blunt force trauma and a gunshot wound. Puga died at the scene, officials said.
According to investigators, Puga was at a large Halloween party and was attempting to leave when he was confronted by a group of individuals identified as Northern gang members.
The suspects reportedly beat Puga during the altercation and ultimately shot him before fleeing.
Related Story: Fresno County Duo Could Face 20 Years in Crop Insurance Fraud Scheme
An autopsy later confirmed that Puga’s death resulted from blunt force trauma, with the gunshot wound not being the fatal injury.
Following an extensive investigation involving search warrants and interviews, detectives identified Landon Woods, 20, of Exeter, Eric Bullard, 18, of Tulare, Matthew Makert, 22, of Visalia, and three teenage boys, ages 17 and 16, as suspects in Puga’s death.
Related Story: Fresno Man Arrested in SE Gas Station Shooting, Man Hospitalized
All six suspects were taken into custody without incident, according to authorities.
The adult suspects were booked into the TCSO South County Detention Facility, while the juveniles were sent to the Juvenile Detention Facility on homicide charges.
RELATED TOPICS:
Categories
