According to Newsweek, a woman was beheaded with a sword in the streets of a Bay Area neighborhood in California on Thursday in front of stunned witnesses.
According to police, the victim, a woman in her twenties with two daughters who has yet to be identified, knew her suspected killer. The two had been in a relationship that appeared to have been marred by domestic violence.
According to law enforcement sources, the victim obtained a temporary restraining order against the man, Jose Solano Landaeta of Hayward, in April. Landaeta is now in custody after being apprehended at the scene of the beheading, where he allegedly returned.
Deputies were called to the scene of the incident around 11:50 a.m., according to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Department this Thursday.
“Deputies were flagged down in the area of Magnolia and Laurel in the city of San Carlos by witnesses reporting an assault in progress,” the department wrote on Twitter.
“Deputies arrived within minutes and located an adult female, deceased. Shortly after, the suspect returned to the scene and was detained by deputies. He has since been placed under arrest for murder.”
Police called the attack “an isolated incident” and said there was no outstanding threat to the community.
— San Mateo County S.O (@SMCSheriff) September 8, 2022
While authorities have only stated that the victim was killed with a stabbing instrument, unnamed law enforcement sources told KGO-TV that the woman was beheaded.
According to police records obtained by KGO-TV, just before noon on Thursday, reports came in that the woman’s head had been severed with a sword. “Children are there, scared to come … want their mom.” the notes said at 12:14 p.m.
According to the Sheriff’s Department, the woman’s children were not present at the scene of the beheading. The two young girls were then inside the house, according to KGO-TV.
At the press conference on the same day of the murder, Lt. Eamon Allen stated that the weapon “is still outstanding” and that deputies are looking for the same.
Sheriff’s deputies and onlookers who witnessed the brutal murder are being offered counseling, according to law enforcement.
“Anytime someone loses their life it’s certainly a tragedy,” Allen said during Thursday’s press conference.
“As far as the shocking nature of it, I do know that the deputies that first arrived on scene were a little beset by the scene. We are providing peer support, we are also providing support for the witnesses that were on scene as well, because there were several civilian witnesses.”
Local ABC News 7 added:
During a press conference, Lieutenant Eamon Allen said that the crime happened in the street outside the victim’s residence.
Lieutenant Allen said that the victim had two children, who did not witness the crime, and sources tell the I-Team’s Dan Noyes the kids were inside the house at the time.
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We’re told the two were in an ongoing relationship but law enforcement sources say the victim got a temporary restraining order against the suspect, Hayward resident Jose Solano Landaeta, in April.