Santa Monica police arrested suspects in two unrelated killings within days of each other in late July, with one suspect in custody less than three hours after the crime and the other surrendering two days later.
Councilmember Lana Negrete, writing in her weekly newsletter the week of Tuesday, July 28, credited the rapid turnaround to the department's recent investments, according to the Santa Monica Lookout.
"That speed is not luck," Negrete wrote. "It is the direct result of the staffing, training, and technology we have invested in, and it is why I will keep backing our department without apology."
The cases unfolded five days apart.
Pico Boulevard: three-hour arrest
Officers responded at 5:21 p.m. Saturday, July 25, to a call reporting a woman needing medical assistance at The Manor, a state-licensed adult residential facility at 1905 Pico Boulevard. They found Cheyenne Zampino, 27, in a communal bathroom suffering from significant injuries. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office determined Zampino died from sharp-force injuries to the neck. Police initially described the injuries as a gunshot wound but later corrected the account.
Detectives coordinated with LAPD and the LA County Sheriff's Department, sharing witness-based information about a possible suspect. By approximately 8 p.m. the same evening, LAPD officers located Taylor Roger Free, 35, of San Luis Obispo, near Crenshaw and Exposition boulevards in Los Angeles. Free was not a resident of The Manor.
As we reported Wednesday, the Los Angeles County District Attorney has since charged Free with one count of murder under California Penal Code 187(a), plus a special allegation of using a deadly weapon. He pleaded not guilty Tuesday, July 28, at the Airport Branch Courthouse and is being held on $2 million bail. His next court date is Tuesday, Aug. 11.
Pier parking lot: two-day surrender
At approximately 12:30 a.m. Monday, July 20, officers found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in Parking Lot 1 North at 1550 Pacific Coast Highway, on the north side of the Santa Monica Pier. The victim, Edgar Buitimea, 24, died at the scene.
The shooting followed a physical altercation between two groups, according to police. It occurred hours after thousands gathered downtown for World Cup final watch parties and an open streets festival that had closed several blocks to traffic.
A 16-year-old male from Las Vegas turned himself in to SMPD detectives on the evening of Wednesday, July 22. His identity has not been released because of his juvenile status. No formal charges had been announced as of Wednesday, July 29.
Police Chief Darrick Jacob said in a July 23 statement that "the swift and focused work of our detectives resulted in the suspect being safely taken into custody."
Broader context
Zampino's death marked Santa Monica's fifth homicide of 2026. The city recorded four homicides in all of 2025. SMPD spokesman Lt. Lewis Gilmour said none of the 2026 cases are related.
Both investigations remain active. Anyone with information can contact SMPD at 310-458-8491.
