A man accused of fatally shooting an 18-year-old Lake Elsinore resident near the waterfront nearly three years ago was charged Friday with first-degree murder and other offenses.
Samuel Anthony Salazar, 23, of Hemet was arrested Wednesday following an extensive Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation into the slaying of Noah Ivancso.
Along with murder, Salazar is charged with destroying incriminating evidence and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.
He made his initial appearance Friday before Superior Court Judge Judith Clark, who appointed him a public defender and scheduled his arraignment for next Friday at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.
The defendant is being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Jarred Bishop, the alleged attack occurred just after 2 p.m. on May 7, 2023, in the 33100 block of Jamieson Street, just west of Grand Avenue, less than 1,000 feet from the northwest edge of the lake.
The sergeant alleged there was an unspecified confrontation, during which Salazar allegedly pulled a gun and opened fire on the young man, mortally wounding him, after which the defendant fled.
Ivancso was pronounced dead at the scene minutes later by paramedics.
Deputies quickly developed leads pointing to Salazar as the alleged gunman, and his name was circulated as a person of interest a couple days after the deadly attack.
“Multiple attempts were made to locate Salazar but were unsuccessful, and a warrant was issued for his arrest,” Bishop said.
The defendant was ultimately tracked down in Hemet, where he was taken into custody without incident Wednesday afternoon.
No other details were disclosed, including a possible motive or how Salazar was identified.
He has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County adult court.