Details Still Trickling from Capitola Homicide Investigation

Homicides don't happen often in Capitola. Local police assisted in an investigation of a dead body left at in 2010, but there has not been one within city limits since 2003.

So when Ronald "Aaron" Carpenter" was , it put the Capitola Police Department into overdrive.

"The CPD has devoted a lot of resources to the investigation of this case," Assistant District Attorney Celia Rowland told Patch over email. "And particularly since it is a department that serves a small population and does not have a tremendous number of officers and detectives, the dedication of resources is to be commended and is paying dividends."

Such dividends include the on-site arrest of Marcos Chavez, 23, and information that has come to light thus far .

On Friday, it was announced that the coroner had determined Carpenter's cause of death to be a A blade found in the studio apartment on Virgil Lane matches Carpenter's injury.

According to Rowland, Chavez is believed to be a marine veteran discharged last year who was part of a work-study program through the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Mercury News reported on Tuesday that Carpenter also "worked at the veterans center in Capitola as part of his work-study." It has not been announced if Carpenter and Chavez were acquainted through the program.

During the investigation of the crime scene, members of the Capitola Police Department "photographed, analyzed and seized property," according to Rowland. A Department of Justice blood spatter expert as well as latent finger print examiner were also on scene. 

"There are a number of leads that detectives with CPD and an inspector from the DA’s office are pursuing," Rowland said.

A motive has still yet to be determined, or at least announced, but more information will certainly come to light as Chavez's Jan. 5 arraignment approaches. 

Carpenter's memorial service is set for Jan. 4 in Oregon, where his family resides.