“Criminalists at California DOJ assist numerous counties in California with their investigations by collecting, preserving, examining and processing evidence.  Their work is so very valuable in investigations and criminal justice.” – CSLEA President Alan Barcelona

GOLETA – On February 10, 2022, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office called upon the California Department of Justice Bureau of Forensics Services to assist detectives in investigating a homicide in which the victim was shot.

Sheriff’s deputies were called to the 5400-block of Hollister Avenue in Goleta at 8:02 p.m. after several reports of shots heard in the area of Hollister and Highway 217. When deputies arrived, they found evidence of a shooting at a hotel, but no suspects or victims at the scene.

Approximately an hour later, a gunshot wound victim arrived at Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital where he died from his injuries.  The victim is identified as Richard Andrew Cardano, 43, of Goleta.

Sheriff’s detectives, crime scene technicians, and the California Department of Justice Bureau of Forensic Services responded to the scene and worked continuously overnight and through the next day. The preliminary investigation indicates that the victim and the suspect were familiar with each other, and this was not a random attack.