Nipomo man identified as victim of deadly Santa Maria stabbing
May 29, 2026
By JOSH FRIEDMAN
The Santa Maria Police Department identified the Nipomo man who died from wounds suffered in a May 16 stabbing as 21-year-old Steven Vargas.
Shortly before 7 p.m. on May 16, a caller reported a stabbing victim in a vehicle parked in the In-N-Out Burger parking lot. Officers arrived and found Vargas suffering from multiple stab wounds, according to the Santa Maria Police Department.
The initial investigation revealed the assailant stabbed Vargas in the 200 block of E. Plaza Drive.
Responders transported the victim to the Marian Regional Medical Center Emergency Room where he died from his injuries on May 22.
In a news release issued Thursday, the police department also identified Vargas’s alleged killer. The suspect, 24-year-old Carlos Miguel Vasquez of Santa Maria, is being held in Santa Barbara County Jail on a charge of murder.
The investigation into the fatal stabbing remains ongoing. Anyone with information related to the killing is encouraged to contact the Santa Maria Police Department at (805) 928-3781 and ask for Detective Hesch at extension 1349 or Detective J. Rubio at extension 1682.
The comments below represent the opinion of the writer and do not represent the views or policies of CalCoastNews.com. Please address the Policies, events and arguments, not the person. Constructive debate is good; mockery, taunting, and name calling is not. Comment Guidelines