Suspect arrested for 3rd Lucerne Valley murder within a week; other cases still unsolved
San Bernardino County Sheriff's investigators have arrested a Lucerne Valley man for a suspected murder last Friday that marked the third fatal shooting in less than a week for the unincorporated High Desert community.
Lucerne Valley resident Alberto Gallegos, 48, was held Sunday at Central Detention Center in San Bernardino on suspicions of murder with a $1 million bail, as well as contempt of court for violating a protective order with a $25,000 bail, according to county booking information. He was set to appear in Victorville Superior Court for the alleged contempt at 8:30 a.m. Monday, and in San Bernardino Superior Court for the alleged murder at 12:30 p.m. Monday.
Investigators from the Sheriff's Victor Valley Station arrested Gallegos within a day of finding a man, whom the department hasn't identified because his next of kin have yet to be notified, shot dead at a home on the 31800 block of Bumpkin Road in Lucerne Valley, according to a Sheriff's release Sunday.
Deputies responded to a call about the murder at 8:43 p.m. Friday.
"When deputies arrived, they found a male subject who had been shot," the release stated. "Medical aid also responded and ultimately pronounced the victim deceased."
Detectives from the Sheriff's special homicide detail took over the investigation and identified Gallegos as their suspect in less than a day.
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At about 6 p.m. Saturday, a Sheriff's SWAT team "located and detained Gallegos during a traffic stop," the release states. His booking information indicates the traffic stop took place at 655 E Third St. in San Bernardino.
It was the second murder case Sheriff's investigators opened in Lucerne Valley in less than a week.
The Sheriff's Department said it found two men shot dead in Planet Road and Camp Rock Road on Sept. 24: Lucerne Valley resident Homero Segundovillasenor, 30, and Hemet resident Jose Segundomoreno, 53.
Investigators still haven't identified any suspect in those murders.
"Regarding the other case, we have not received any additional information," a Sheriff's spokesperson told the Daily Press in an email Sunday. "When there is more information to release, an updated press release will be issued."
Charlie McGee covers California’s High Desert for the Daily Press, focusing on the city of Barstow and its surrounding communities. He is also a Report for America corps member with The GroundTruth Project, an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization dedicated to supporting the next generation of journalists in the U.S. and worldwide. McGee may be reached at 760-955-5341 or cmcgee@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @bycharliemcgee.