A 19-year-old man has been charged with the murders of four people in Lancaster, California, after allegedly killing them while they slept and setting their home on fire to cover up the crime.
Miguel Sandoval was arrested on November 21, 2024, and has since been charged with six counts, including four counts of murder, burglary, and arson, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office.
The victims—Matthew Montebello, 21, his partner Janvi Maquindang, 21, Maquindang’s sister Christine Aca-ac, 26, and Aca-ac’s fiancé Edwin Garcia, 24—were all asleep in their home on the night of November 16 when the attack occurred.
The youngest sibling, a 16-year-old girl, managed to survive the ordeal by hiding in a closet and calling 911.
She reported hearing gunshots around 1:27 a.m. and remained in her room, frightened for her life.
Authorities believe Sandoval entered the house at approximately 1:30 a.m., burglarized the residence, then shot the victims before setting the house on fire in an attempt to cover his tracks.
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The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department responded to the scene, where they found the victims.
Although they were able to rescue Montebello from the burning building, he later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
Firefighters extinguished the flames by 2:30 a.m., and three dogs in the house were also found dead from gunshot wounds.
Aca-ac and Maquindang’s siblings have since created a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses, describing their loss as “overwhelming” and expressing the pain they feel every day.
“Christine was a loving sister and a funny, vibrant, and deeply caring friend,” the family wrote. “Janvi was a bright and successful young man with a future full of promise.”
