Full Notification

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the deaths of two people in Santa Ynez. At approximately 2:10 p.m. today, October 31, Sheriff’s deputies responded to assist the California Highway Patrol with a vehicle accident in the 1500 block of Refugio Road in Santa Ynez. They discovered a lone adult male in the driver’s seat with a gunshot wound to the head. A firearm was located in the vehicle. Preliminary indications are that the decedent shot himself in the head causing his vehicle to leave the roadway and crash into a tree.

Sheriff’s detectives located a residence nearby associated with the vehicle. They conducted a protective sweep of the property and discovered an adult female deceased inside the home. Sheriff’s detectives are in the process of obtaining a search warrant to determine the circumstances surrounding her death which is considered suspicious.

At this point in the investigation, Sheriff’s detectives believe the two deaths are related. They do not believe there are any outstanding suspects or that there is a risk to public safety.

The identities of the decedents are not being released at this time until positive identifications are made and next of kin are notified.

The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information that would assist investigators in this case to call the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division at 805-681-4150 or to leave an anonymous tip, call 805-681-4171.