Authorities in Santa Barbara County have made multiple arrests as part of an investigation into a brutal murder of an elderly woman during a home invasion in 2022.
Officials say the killing was a murder-for-hire plot orchestrated by a woman who had previously targeted the victim for financial crimes.
Violet Evelyn Alberts was found smothered to death inside her Montecito home on May 27, 2022.
Alberts was a widow, did not have any immediate family nearby and was described by Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown as a “vibrant” and “cherished member” of the community known for her warm demeanor and outgoing personality.
“Violet relied on her friendships and connections within the neighborhood, through which she achieved a sense of belonging with a tight knit community,” Brown said. “Despite facing challenges with her memory and cognition, Violet’s spirit remained undaunted.”
In the moments before her death, the 96-year-old was preparing to make cookies to celebrate her upcoming birthday. The ingredients for those cookies were found on the table inside her home when her body was discovered by her caretaker, Brown said.
Alberts had previously been the target of fraud at the hands of a Los Angeles County “real estate developer” identified as Pauline Macareno. The convicted fraudster was based in Porter Ranch and was previously charged, and since found guilty, for using a real estate scheme to convince Alberts to transfer the title of her home to herself.
Alberts’ home was located in a wealthy enclave just outside Santa Barbara, known for its many famous residents, including Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Harry and Meghan. Her home has an estimated value of more than $5 million, according to real estate listing sites Zillow and Redfin.
Macareno was ultimately arrested and charged with elder fraud in the weeks following Alberts’ death, but was not immediately identified as a suspect in her killing.
On Thursday, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference to discuss the latest details of the case, which investigators had kept closely guarded in the months following the grisly discovery inside the home.
Sheriff Brown shed more light on Macareno’s efforts to take over the elderly woman’s financial assets, calling Macareno the mastermind behind “a tangled evil web of financial exploitation against the victim.”
“Macareno emerged as a central figure in the manipulation and deceitful targeting of 96-year-old Violet Alberts,” Brown said. “In 2020, Macareno capitalized on Alberts’ vulnerability, engaging in financial elder abuse that ultimately led to the fraudulent acquisition of her property.”
After gaining control of Alberts’ finances, Brown accused Macareno of growing tired of waiting for the 96-year-old to pass, which led to Macareno taking things into her own hands to “accelerate” her death.
Investigators allege Macareno led a “murder-for-hire scheme,” which resulted in at least two men breaking into Alberts’ home and ending her life. Brown also said there was evidence that the 96-year-old’s property was being surveyed in the days leading up to the killing, calling it proof of the “premeditated nature” of the crime.
In June 2023, officials released photos of a Porsche Cayenne that was believed to be linked to the crime. That and the “diligent efforts” of detectives, who spent more than 10,425 hours working the case, led to the identification of three men who allegedly took part in the scheme.
Henry Rostomyan, Ricardo Martin Del Campo and Harry Basmadjian were identified by Brown Thursday as participants in Alberts’ murder.
Basmadjian was arrested in January, Rostomyan in February and Martin Del Campo was arrested earlier this week.
All three face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, while Rostomyan and Martin Del Campo, who are being held without bail in Santa Barbara County, have been specifically identified as the suspected killers and face charges for murder. Martin Del Campo also faces federal gun charges that came up as a result of his arrest.
At the time of his arrest, Basmadjian was in federal custody in Los Angeles County on unrelated charges, Brown said, but he has since suffered a life-threatening medical emergency that has left him “totally incapacitated, essentially brain dead with a grim prognosis.”
Macareno is currently serving a six-year sentence following her conviction for elder fraud, but additional charges related to Alberts’ killing are pending, Brown said.
Brown highlighted the work of his detectives and partner agencies in bringing a satisfying conclusion to the investigation in Alberts’ death, calling it the finest example of a “whodunnit” murder being solved in his 47 years in law enforcement.
He also gave a warning to anyone traveling to Santa Barbara County with intent to commit crimes.
“If you come here, and if you target members of our community, no matter who they are, we will doggedly investigate the crimes that you commit,” Brown said. “We will identify you, all of you. We will hunt you down. We will arrest you. We will jail you. We will build a comprehensive case against you. And we will bring you before the bar of justice. Just as we have done in this case.”
Investigators are still accepting tips related to the killing of Violet Alberts. Anyone with information can contact Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives at 805-681-4150. Anonymous tips can be provided online or by calling 805-681-4171.