A 26-year-old man was charged with murder Friday in the killing of a 27-year-old woman whose body was found by a construction worker in a Laguna Beach alley.
Dino Fabrizio Rojas-Moreno was charged with special circumstances murder during a kidnapping with a sentencing enhancement for the personal use of a deadly weapon in the Nov. 12 death of Tatum Goodwin, who worked at Carmelita's restaurant in the Orange County community. Flowers are other items were left outside the restaurant this week in memory of Goodwin.
Rojas-Moreno used a fire extinguisher in the killing, according to the criminal complaint filed by Orange County prosecutors. A construction worker found her body Sunday in an alley in the 200 block of Ocean Avenue.
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Details about a motive were not immediately available. Rojas-Moreno's bail was set $1 million.
Investigators said a tip led them to Rojas-Moreno, of Laguna Hills. The suspect also worked in Laguna Beach, but authorities did not have details about whether he knew Goodwin.
Goodwin's family members told NBCLA they are not familiar with the suspect.
The restaurant staff organized an online fundraiser for their co-worker. Friends and family attended a seaside vigil for Goodwin earlier this week.
“It’s all I could have asked for – my baby sister for her to have such amazing friends,” said sister Kaylee Goodwin. “We can provide everyone with peace of mind there has been an arrest. That’s all the information we have at this time. There is some peace there but there is never going to be full peace for what has happened to Tatum.”
Anyone with information on this killing was asked to call Laguna Beach Police Department Detective Tanner Flagstad at 949-497-0369. Tipsters can also call Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS.
