Murder suspect surrenders in Calexico

A 26-year-old Porterville man who police suspect fatally shot his wife early Sunday turned himself into the Calexico Police Department Sunday afternoon.

Leonardo Nacoa had a homicide warrant for his arrest after police said he fatally shot his 25-year-old wife, Krystal Garcia Nacoa, just after midnight Sunday.

Nacoa fled the scene after the 12:48 a.m. shooting Sunday morning and a search was launched to locate him.

Porterville Police Officer Dominic Barteau said detectives were able to contact Nacoa on his cell phone. He had already slipped into Mexico, but officers were able to talk him into returning to the United States and giving himself up to authorities.

“After speaking with him a long time, he decided to turn himself into the Calexico Police Department,” said Barteau late Sunday. The man was in custody at the Imperial County Jail and Porterville detectives were en route late Sunday to bring him back to Tulare County.

According to a press release, officers were called to the 900 block of West La Vida Avenue for a report of a female who had been shot. The 900 block of West La Vida Avenue is a short street with numerous duplexes lining it on both sides.

Upon their arrival, officers located a deceased female, later identified as Krystal Garcia Nacoa, inside the residence. Three young children were also discovered at the residence.

They were unharmed. Barteau said the suspect and deceased woman are the parents of the children.

Police said they learned the husband had returned to the residence just prior to the shooting. A short time later, the woman was shot.

Witness statements and evidence found at the scene indicated that the husband was the person responsible for the shooting, police said.

Detectives checked numerous locations for the suspect but had not been able to locate him by early Sunday afternoon. A warrant was issued for his arrest.

Any person having knowledge of the shooting is asked to contact the Porterville Police Department at 782-7400.

The homicide is believed to be the third in the city this year and the fifth in the Porterville area within a week. Last Saturday a man killed his mother, two uncles and one of his children on the Tule River Reservation. Two other children were wounded. The man then took his own life.