MURRIETA — A man accused of fatally shooting a 38-year-old Lake Elsinore resident was charged Friday with murder and other offenses.
Steven Saul Vargas, 33, of Lake Elsinore was arrested Wednesday following a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigation into the slaying of Brian Rivas.
Along with murder, Vargas is charged with sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations.
He made his initial court appearance Friday before Superior Court Judge Judith Clark, who appointed him a public defender and scheduled his arraignment for Monday at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.
The defendant is being held in lieu of $2 million bail at the Byrd Detention Center.
According to sheriff’s Sgt. Alberto Loureiro, shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday, there was an unspecified confrontation between Vargas and Rivas at a home in the 28000 block of Wells Fargo Lane, near El Toro Road.
During the argument, the defendant allegedly pulled a handgun and opened fire, killing the victim on the spot, Loureiro said.
It was unclear whether Vargas remained at the scene or fled. No one was immediately detained for questioning.
The sergeant said that the investigation was turned over to Central Homicide Unit detectives, who gathered evidence and statements over the ensuing three days that pointed to the defendant as the alleged shooter.
Vargas was taken into custody without incident on La Sierra Avenue in Riverside on Wednesday afternoon.
He has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County. However, he has an unresolved drug possession case from January.
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