A teenager accused of killing four people while they slept appeared in a Los Angeles court to face the murder and arson charges on Tuesday, Nov. 26.
Miguel Sandoval, 19, was charged with six counts, including four counts of murder, one felony count of first-degree residential burglary with a person present, and one felony count of arson of an inhabited structure or property, according to an L.A. District Attorney Office press release.
Sandoval is accused of killing Matthew Montebello, 21, Montebello’s partner Janvi Maquindang, 21, Maquindang’s sister, Christine Aca-ac, 26, and Aca-ac’s fiancée Edwin Garcia, 24, inside their Lancaster, Calif. home on Nov. 16.
Sandoval appeared in court shirtless, per photos obtained by The Daily Mail. Per the L.A. District Attorney site, court attendees are instructed not to wear shorts, tank tops, clothing that shows their stomachs, beachwear, flip-flops, or clothing with inappropriate words or signs.
Man Fatally Stabs Wife and 3 Children Aged 10, 12 and 17 in Hawaii Apartment in Suspected Murder-Suicide Aca-ac and Maquindang’s 16-year-old sister was uninjured after she hid in the closet and called 911. The surviving family member was taken to the L.A. Sheriff’s office and said she heard the gunshots around 1:27 a.m. “She stayed in her room because she was scared, and that’s when deputies were able to locate her and extract her," said LASD Lt. Steve Dejong, per ABC 7.
Around 1:30 a.m., Sandoval allegedly entered and burglarized the home while the residents were asleep. He then allegedly shot them and set the house on fire to cover-up his crimes. before fleeing the scene. He was later arrested on Nov. 21, per KTLA.___
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Three dogs were also fatally shot, according to authorities. The motivation for the murders remains unknown, and the L.A. Sheriff’s Department’s investigation is ongoing.
Montebello’s mother Maria told ABC7 she recognized Sandoval’s name but never met him. Maria told the news station she only knew of him as an ex-boyfriend of one of the younger siblings in the house.