Father accused of killing 5-year-old daughter, estranged wife

Two people slain over the weekend in Riverside County were the 5-year-old daughter and estranged wife of the suspected killer, law enforcement authorities said Monday.

Johnny Lopez, 33, is accused of fatally shooting daughter Mia Lopez and estranged wife Joanna Barrientos, 36, inside their Hemet home, said Deputy Michael Vasquez of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Lopez is also suspected of stabbing a woman at another Hemet home about a mile away from the shooting scene, according to authorities. The woman was in critical condition Monday.

Authorities said both incidents were reported Saturday night and appear to be related.

Deputies responding to a call about 8:15 p.m. allegedly found Lopez covered with blood outside a home in the 4100 block of Sunset Lane.

“Lopez refused to cooperate and began to fight with deputies,” authorities said in a statement.

He was taken into a custody after a brief struggle, and the stabbing victim was found inside.

About an hour later, a 911 caller reported finding two dead people inside a home in the 2600 block of Girard Street. Deputies arrived and discovered Barrientos and the girl inside.

A family member told KTLA-TV Channel 5 that Barrientos was not biologically related to Mia but cared for the girl and treated her as a daughter.

Detectives were still gathering evidence Monday and asked anyone with information about the crime or the victims to call homicide investigators at (951) 955-2777.

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