Suspect In Killing And Arson At North County Home Arrested

VISTA, CA — 50-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of killing a man and setting fire to a house, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department said.

Gregory Triana Villegas was booked into the Vista Detention Facility last Friday on suspicion of murder and arson, according to Sheriff's Homicide Lt. Joseph Jarjura.

Last Friday at around 8 p.m., deputies received a call of a house fire in the 100 block of Palmyra Drive, the lieutenant said. The residence was occupied by multiple people.

Deputies and Fire Department personnel arrived on scene and began evacuations and extinguishing the fire. They learned one of the residents was missing.

Firefighters entered the residence, but because of the flames and heat they were unable to locate the resident.

Once the fire was contained, firefighters went back inside the residence and located a body inside a bedroom.

A deputy located a person matching the arson suspect's description walking nearby and he was detained.

With the assistance of bomb and arson detectives and a fire specialist from Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, homicide detectives collected evidence suggesting the fire was intentionally set and the behavior of the fire was indicative of arson.

The motivation and circumstances of the crimes were under investigation, Jarjura said.

Anyone with information about the murder and arson was asked to call the sheriff's Homicide Unit at 858-285-6330 or after hours at 858-565-5200 or to call the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 888-580-8477.

— City News Service