ABC4 Utah

West Valley woman identified in Thanksgiving murder-suicide

(Courtesy of Cristina Ayala-Arriaga)

GOLETA, Calif. (ABC4) – A Utah woman has been identified as the victim of a Thanksgiving murder-suicide in California.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Coroner’s Bureau has identified the two involved as 36-year-old Mayra Uriarte from West Valley City and 37-year-old Hector Manuel Altamirano Martinez from Mexico.

Officials say the shooting occurred at the Best Western motel in the 5600 block of Calle Real in Goleta, California on Thanksgiving Day.

Investigators believe Martinez shot and killed the Uriarte before turning the gun on himself. The couple were in a former relationship and share a child together.

Both people were transported to a local hospital for injury treatment. The man died shortly after the shooting and the female died several hours later. Both died from a single gunshot wound.

The fatal shooting is still under investigation at this time.