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Suspects in murder in rural Arroyo Grande plead not guilty

November 6, 2025

Alejandro SorianoOrtiz

By KAREN VELIE

The two brothers suspected in the murder and burial of a 50-year-old woman pleaded not guilty in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court on Wednesday.

Isabel LucasVelasco and her former 45-year-old boyfriend Alejandro SorianoOrtiz were working together at a job site in rural Arroyo Grande on Sept. 12 when she received a romantic Snapchat message from another love interest. Investigators believe Alejandro SorianoOrtiz murdered her after reading the message.

Alejandro SorianoOrtiz called his brother, Celestino SorianoOrtiz of Santa Maria, who met up with him later in Paso Robles. The men then allegedly drove LucasVelasco’s body to rural Coalinga where they buried her.

After the brothers allegedly disposed of the body, they drove to Avenal where they took LucasVelasco’s car, a black Camaro. Alejandro SorianoOrtiz drove the Camaro to an orchard in rural Fresno County where they allegedly set it on fire.

Isabel LucasVelasco

Investigators accuse Alejandro SorianoOrtiz of then filing a false insurance claim on the Camaro.

Alejandro SorianoOrtiz faces charges of murder, arson in connection with burning LucasVelasco’s vehicle, filing a false insurance claim, and forging a green card.

Celestino SorianoOrtiz is charged with accessory to murder, arson of LucasVelasco’s vehicle, forging a green card, and possession of a controlled substance.

The brothers have ties to Mexico and spoke on calls intercepted by the SLO County Sheriff’s Office of fleeing to Mexico, according to the deputy sheriff’s declaration.

San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Rita Federman earlier ruled that the brothers, both of whom are undocumented immigrants, will remain in jail without bail.

Following their arrests, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged immigration detainers against the brothers. California law restricts when law enforcement can comply, which includes murder or arson convictions, but not arrests.

 


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This is California! Where the state controlled by the democrat party invites and protects illegal imigrants that rape and murder. And we are supposed to believe the majority of the people of California support this? Hard to believe. Could it be that the election process here in California is not fair and honest as our state government claims?


11

You can’t deport these murderers. They vote for Democrats, a couple of Biden’s Boys.


4

If I can’t file a false insurance claim on my Camaro why did I accept Biden’s free pass into the US? The American dream is dead! Add up the money, LE maybe 10’s of thousands of dollars, DA, $100’s of thousands of dollars, public defender 100’s of thousands of dollars, CDCR $100’s of dollars each per year. Yeah, we need immigrants. These guys will cost $50,000,000 each, conservatively.


4