Homicide detectives identify man found dead in Tulare County home
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fourteen hours into their investigation, Tulare County Sheriff's Office have ruled a suspicious death a homicide.
"Its small farming community north of Visalia so to come out and handle a homicide right in town it's very rare," said Joe Torres.
Family and friends stood outside of the crime scene tape as Tulare County Sheriff's Deputies and the cyber forensic investigation unit combed the area trying to piece together what happened.
"We've interviewed a number of people. Unfortunately, we can't disclose details of a case. We are interviewing everyone involved," said Torres.
It was 4 a.m. Saturday morning when sheriff's deputies and firefighters were called to Road 58 and Avenue 378 in New London.
"Once we arrived there was no one outside the home the vehicle was fully engulfed. To attempt to find out if anyone was in the car we made attempted to make contact with the residence that's when we found our deceased victim," said Torres.
According to investigators once they entered the home they found the body of 54-year-old Paul Abarca.
Grief-stricken family members did not want to speak on camera but tell us Abarca lived by himself at the home.
Investigators are not releasing the condition the body was found in only saying the investigation is ongoing.
They worked into the late afternoon, not only looking for a cause of death but determining whether the intent was to set the house on fire as well.
