Huntington Beach : 2 Arrested in Murder of Man Found in Lake

After 17 days of investigation by Huntington Beach detectives, two suspects have been arrested in the murder of a man whose body was found April 6 weighted down with a chain in a water-filled quarry near Central Park.

The suspects, both booked into the Huntington Beach Jail on Wednesday, are Ontoniel H. Hernandez, 29, and Efren V. Guzman, 22, who share a residence in Los Angeles. Both were booked on suspicion of murder and conspiracy to commit murder, Lt. James Walker said.

They are accused of killing Richard Lee Buztamante, 27, whose plastic-wrapped body was found in a lake formed by the old quarry. The site is north of Ellis Avenue, between Gothard and Golden West streets.

“I can’t discuss the details yet, but these arrests came from 17 days of hard work by Detectives Richard Hooper and Dale Mason,” Walker said. “Hernandez was arrested at our headquarters here after he came yesterday (Wednesday) for a voluntary interview. The other suspect was arrested after a stakeout at their house in Los Angeles.”

Police spent a week trying to identify Buztamante after his body was found. Investigators found that the victim had a drug-related arrest record and numerous aliases. Walker said Thursday that he could not discuss whether the alleged murder motive was related to narcotics. “All I can say is that the circumstances (of the case) are unusual,” he added.