Isla Vista Homicide Update

Isla Vista - November 22nd, 2011

Two women from Santa Barbara have been indicted for their role in a deadly stabbing in Isla Vista last May.

21-year old Karen Medina (DOB 5/1/90) and 29-year old Maria Consuelo Vargas (DOB 6/7/82) were originally booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail on Friday, October 21, 2011, on $500,000 bail. Both women were arrested after a grand jury indicted them for being accessories to homicide.

Maria Vargas’s brother, 20-year old Benjamin Vargas (DOB 5/12/91) of Santa Barbara County is already facing murder charges for stabbing and killing 26-year old Vincent Velasquez during a violent confrontation at approximately 12:30am on Sunday, May 15, 2011.

Benjamin Vargas’s girlfriend, Karen Medina, is accused of assaulting the victim during the deadly attack. Maria Vargas is accused of driving the car during the suspect’s escape from the scene of the crime.

The Sheriff’s Office postponed the distribution of this news release until the Grand Jury indictment was unsealed. Both women were released from County Jail after posting bail on Friday, October 28, 2011.

For more information regarding news related issues
please contact Drew Sugars, Public Information Officer.

Business Hours: (805) 681-4100
EMAIL:pio@sbsheriff.org