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() A California fire captain has been charged with allegedly killing a woman and a young boy, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.
In a statement posted to Facebook, the sheriff’s office said 47-year-old Darin McFarlin was arrested August 22 on two counts of homicide. He is being held on no bail.
On August 21, the sheriff’s office responded to reports of a shooting at a home in Cameron Park, California. Upon arriving, officers found the woman and boy with gunshot wounds. The woman was pronounced dead, and the boy later died in a nearby hospital. A second child was found in the home unharmed.
local affiliate KTXL reports CAL FIRE has since released a statement expressing sympathy for the family of the victims and condemning McFarlin’s actions.
“These actions do not reflect the values, mission, or dedication of CAL FIRE as a department, which exists to protect and serve our community,” Joe Tyler, director and chief of CAL FIRE, said. “Darin McFarlin has been placed on unpaid administrative leave, and we are monitoring the situation closely. CAL FIRE will continue to cooperate fully with the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office regarding the ongoing investigation.”
The Los Angeles Times reports the victims were identified as McFarlin’s 29-year-old girlfriend, Marissa Divodi-Lessa, and her son. McFarlin allegedly attacked Divodi-Lessa, shooting her, turned the gun on her son to stop him from being a witness to the crime and tried to kill another child.
According to the publication, McFarlin has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of first-degree murder and could face the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted.