Three Bay Area residents, including an airman assigned to Travis Air Force Base in Solano County, have been charged in connection with the murder of a 19-year-old woman from Carmel following a Halloween party in Sacramento, whose remains were found in Monterey County on Sunday.
19-year-old Leilani Beauchamp of Carmel was last seen leaving a Sacramento area Halloween party early Saturday morning with two active duty Air Force members. After Beauchamp was reported missing Saturday evening, the Fairfield Police Department says it worked with detectives and members of Travis Air Force Base’s Office of Special Investigation and soon determined that a murder had taken place at the home of the two airmen.
Beauchamp's remains were found Sunday evening on the 300 block of Corral De Tierra Road in Salinas.
As the police department reported in a statement posted to Facebook, three individuals were arrested Monday for Beauchamp's murder, including 21-year-old Jessica Quintanilla of Pittsburg, who has been arrested on suspicion of murder. Quintanilla's brother, 27-year-old Marco Quintanilla, was arrested on suspicion of being an accessory to murder and violation of his parole — which is associated with an attempted murder conviction.
Also arrested was 20-year-old Juan Parra-Peralta, an airman 1st class assigned to the 60th aerial port squadron at Travis Air Force Base who lived at the home on Cascade Lane in Fairfield where investigators say the murder took place. Parra-Peralta was also arrested for accessory to murder.
As KCRA reports, via a spokesperson with Travis Air Force Base, Parra-Peralta has been released on $25,000 bail.
The base said in a statement, "Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with family and friends of the victim," and "At this time, Travis Air Force Base is engaging with and fully cooperating with civil authorities." Also, they explained that when bailed on any charges, an airman is "released to report to their assigned duty," and "It is the Airman’s responsibility to then adhere to all legal proceedings or investigative processes with civil authorities."
The story certainly sounds like a love-triangle or angry ex-girlfriend scenario, given the details we have, but no motive for the crime has yet been discussed by investigators.
Another roommate at the home in Fairfield, Jesse Borbe, told KCRA he was "shocked" by the investigation and what allegedly occurred at the home. He said, "My condolences to the family. I give them my prayers."
The family of Beauchamp issued a statement saying, "Leilani was truly a blessing to us and her beloved friends. Leilani shared a very close relationship with her younger brother and sister who, after she ventured out to college, maintained daily communication with them. We will miss her smile, her laugh, her caring demeanor, her strong will, her passion for life and the love she brought to our family."
Photo courtesy of the Beauchamp family