Man Accused Of Killing Girlfriend Arrested In OC: Police

GARDEN GROVE, CA — A 32-year-old man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of killing a woman in Garden Grove.

Rafael Arechiga was arrested following a traffic stop about 12:40 a.m. at Brookhurst Street and Chapman Avenue, Garden Grove police Sgt. Nick Jensen said. He was accused of killing a 37-year-old Garden Grove woman whose name was not immediately released.

Santa Ana police working a missing person case contacted Garden Grove officers about 8 p.m. Wednesday to request a welfare check after the woman failed to show up for work, Jensen said.

Minutes later, Garden Grove police dispatchers received a call from the same apartment complex officers were preparing to check, Jensen said. A caller, who had been asked by the woman's family to check on her, found her body in an apartment in the 10400 block of Lampson Avenue, according to Jensen.

The woman had a restraining order against Arechiga, and the two had been in a relationship, Jensen said.