SAN DIEGO -- A man was arrested on suspicion of murder and arson Monday after a fire crew found his live-in girlfriend dead from an apparent knife wound while extinguishing several intentionally set fires in the couple's home, authorities reported.
The fire at 4834 Huron Ave. was reported at 5:03 a.m., according to a San Diego police Homicide Lt. Kevin Rooney. When firefighters arrived minutes later, they found two small fires had been started in the living room and a bedroom, but both fires were already out, he said.
"While escorting three residents out of the home, one of them commented that a woman was still inside,'' SDPD Lt. Kevin Rooney said. "Firefighters found a woman in a rear bedroom, the same bedroom where a fire was extinguished. The woman had suffered an apparent stab wound, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.''
The identity of the woman, who was in her 40s, was withheld pending family notification.
Detectives learned that the dead woman shared the home with her two daughters, a boyfriend and the boyfriend of one of her daughters. The woman's boyfriend, 41-year-old Anthony Estrada, had been at the home on Sunday night, but he was not there when firemen arrived, Rooney said.
Shortly before 7:30 a.m., while patrol officers were briefing homicide investigators about the case, Estrada turned himself in to two workers at Clairemont High School, the lieutenant said. The employees notified police, who responded and took Estrada into custody.
Neighbors told Fox 5 arguments could commonly be heard coming from the home where the crime happened.
"They were nice people," said Chris Bergman, who lives next door, "They just fought a lot. They were always battling, always yelling a each other. Always, really upset people."
Estrada will make his first court appearence on Wednesday. He's charged with arson and murder.
