A second suspect is behind bars in connection with the burglary of a 97-year-old woman’s Murrieta home by a woman posing as a health care worker, authorities said.
Brent Paul Longo, 31, was arrested Friday evening in Menifee, Murrieta police said Monday.
Police said Longo and Dianne Escarsega, 45, of Menifee — who was arrested earlier in the day Friday — stole credit cards, a handgun and other items during the January burglary.
About 10 a.m. Jan. 24, Escarsega went to the woman’s home in the 38500 block of Calle de la Siesta telling her she was from “Kaiser Medical” and was assigned to help her, a Murrieta Police Department news release said. The woman, who lives in a retirement community off Murrieta Hot Springs Road, let her in.
While Escarsega was checking expiration dates on canned food, she told the woman her son was outside in her car and needed to use the bathroom, police said. After about 25 minutes, Escarsega and Longo left. The woman later noticed her credit cards, identification, cash and a .25-caliber Beretta semiautomatic handgun were missing, police reported.
Because of her poor eyesight, the woman could not give police detailed descriptions of the visitors. About a half-hour after the burglary, Escarsega was recorded on surveillance video trying to use the woman’s credit card at a Sun City-area ATM, police said. A Riverside County sheriff’s deputy identified the woman from a wanted flier issued by Murrieta investigators, police Sgt. Phil Gomez said.
Police arrested Escarsega at her home, Gomez said. Longo is not Escarsega’s son but a friend, Gomez said.
About 5:30 p.m. Friday, sheriff’s deputies seeking Longo in an unrelated case found him in Menifee and arrested him, Gomez said. Details about that case were not available Monday.
Longo was booked into the Southwest Detention Center on suspicion of theft from an elderly person, burglary, theft of a firearm and other charges, jail records show. His bail was set at $95,000.
Gomez said police are searching for the stolen handgun, which Longo appears to have sold.
Authorities ask anyone with information to call Detective Jeff Ullrich, 951-461-6312, or Detective Sgt. Phil Gomez, 951-461-6356.
