SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – A shocking fraud scheme in Santa Barbara County, California, took a deadly turn when a 96-year-old woman, Violet Evelyn Alberts, was found murdered in her home. This tragic incident led to the arrest of four individuals in connection with her death.
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office revealed that Pauline Macareno, Harry Basmadjian, Henry Rostomyan, and Ricardo MartinDelCampo were apprehended in relation to the murder of Alberts. Authorities disclosed that Alberts’ killing was part of a murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by a woman looking to engage in financial crimes against the elderly victim.
The discovery of Alberts’ lifeless body in her home by a caretaker on May 27, 2022, sent shockwaves through the community of Montecito. An autopsy determined that Alberts died from asphyxiation, leading Sheriff Bill Brown to classify her death as a homicide.
Macareno, posing as a real estate agent, gained access to Alberts’ residence and funds using forged documents, as reported by The Los Angeles Times. Brown stated that Macareno decided to carry out the murder after realizing that Alberts “was living too long.”
Basmadjian, Rostomyan, and MartinDelCampo were allegedly recruited by Macareno to assist in the execution of the murder scheme, according to law enforcement. While the former two were taken into custody for their involvement, Basmadjian experienced a medical emergency while in federal custody, rendering him incapacitated.
In June 2022, Macareno was arrested for elder abuse and fraud, ultimately receiving a six-year prison sentence for her role in the crime. The investigation into Alberts’ murder involved significant collaboration between various agencies, including the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, highlighting the effort put forth to seek justice for the victim.