UPDATE (6:30 p.m.) - The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office has officially charged Fausto Ortega Maldonado with murder for the stabbing death of Primitivo Pacheco Ortega.
The complaint against Maldonado includes a special allegation that he used a knife to kill Ortega.
Maldonado is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday morning.
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(11:09 a.m.) - The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office on Monday announced the arrest of a suspect in a North County homicide investigation.
Sheriff's officials say Fausto Ortega Maldonado, 28, has been identified as the suspect in the murder of Primitivo Pacheco Ortega, 20.
Ortega's body was found at about 6:45 a.m. on Sunday, July 7, off the side of Estrella Rd. near Hog Canyon Rd.
Investigators said Ortega suffered multiple stab wounds.
At a press conference Monday, Sheriff Ian Parkinson said Ortega was killed en route to the location or at the location off Estrella Rd. and that his body had been there less than 24-48 hours before he was found.
Maldonado was reportedly already in custody at the San Luis Obispo County Jail this past Friday when deputies arrested him for the additional charge of murder. He had been in custody since July 18 for a probation violation; however, the sheriff says he was already a suspect in Ortega's killing at that time.
Sheriff Parkinson said he could not discuss a motive for the killing.
The sheriff says Maldonado is a felon who was previously convicted of domestic violence. He is also reportedly in the country illegally, has been deported previously and is currently wanted by ICE. Sheriff Parkinson says his department has been in contact with ICE about this case.
Ortega reportedly lived in the Paso Robles/San Miguel area. However, officials say he was also undocumented.
The sheriff's office says the killing is not gang-related and the two men are not related.
Previous coverage:
Sheriff's office identifies victim in suspicious death investigation
Death of man found near side of road in rural Paso Robles ruled a homicide