A 25-year-old man suspected of fatally stabbing his 26-year-old roommate during a fight at their Santa Ana home was in custody Monday.
Santa Ana Police Department officers responded to the 1500 block of South Lowell Street, between Flower and Baker streets, around 8:30 a.m. Sunday to a report of unknown trouble at a house, police said.
Upon further investigation, the responding officers discovered William Stephen Nared of Santa Ana with a stab wound to his upper body. Orange County Fire Authority paramedics responded to the house, where they pronounced Nared dead at the scene.
David James Espinosa of Santa Ana had fled the residence on a bicycle and was later located and detained a few blocks from the location.
“Homicide detectives assumed the investigation and processed the crime scene. Subsequent interviews unveiled that the victim and the suspect were roommates,” police said in a statement. “Within the residence, a conflict arose between them, leading to a physical altercation and homicide.”
Espinosa was arrested and booked at the Santa Ana Jail on suspicion of murder.
Anyone with information regarding the killing was urged to call Santa Ana Police Department Homicide Section detectives at 714-245-8390. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS.