Medical call leads to homicide arrest in South Sacramento, sheriff says

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office says Wendell Celestine, 67, reported his girlfriend was unconscious – then was arrested for her murder.

Kate Ourada

SACRAMENTO, California. —

A call for medical help led to a murder arrest in South Sacramento on Friday.

Around 11 p.m., the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District responded to a call for medical assistance in the 4900 block of El Paraiso Avenue from 67-year-old Wendell Celestine. He reported finding his girlfriend unconscious, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.

However, when firefighters noticed signs of trauma on the 56-year-old woman, as well as broken glass and damaged furniture in the residence, they contacted the sheriff’s office with concerns about a physical altercation. The victim was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene.

The sheriff’s office said officers arrived and arrested Celestine. Following an investigation by homicide detectives and crime scene investigators, Celestine was arrested and booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on a charge of murder. He is currently not eligible for bail.

Celestine and the victim had been married and then divorced, but had recently started seeing each other again, according to the sheriff’s office.

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