ALPINE–The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office has completed an autopsy of a woman found murdered last week near a vehicle parked on a driveway in Alpine.
The examiner’s office has determine the cause and manner of death, and has notified the victim’s family of her death. The preliminary manner of death has been ruled a homicide and the cause of death was gunshot wounds.
The victim has been identified as 27-year-old Melanie Benitez of Alpine. She and the suspect, 42-year-old Paul Paraschak had a dating relationship and lived together in Alpine. Paraschak has been arrested for one count of murder and booked into the San Diego Central Jail, where he is being held without bail.
Last weekend, Alpine Sheriff’s deputies responded to multiple 9-1-1 calls from residents in the area of Victoria Drive and England Place. Callers reported hearing shots fired and seeing a man with a gun walking in the area. Deputies responded and located a man matching the description of the armed male suspect. He was detained without incident and found to be armed with two handguns.