Authorities reported that a veteran California fire captain has been taken into custody after allegedly murdering his girlfriend and her young child in a shocking case that has rattled a quiet community.
California fire captain arrested for shocking killings
Investigators identified the suspect as 47-year-old Darin McFarlin, a captain with Cal Fire’s Amador-El Dorado unit.
Deputies say he was arrested Friday following accusations that he gunned down a woman and a boy inside a Cameron Park residence on August 21.
The victims were named as 29-year-old Marissa Divodi-Lessa and her son, Josiah.
Both victims were discovered with gunshot wounds. According to deputies, the woman was pronounced dead inside the home while the boy was rushed to a hospital where he later died.
Deputies also confirmed another child was inside the residence at the time, but that child was unharmed.
Authorities have not clarified the child’s relation to the victims, but Divodi-Lessa leaves behind a young daughter, Serafina.
California fire captain allegedly killed mother and son over previous crime
McFarlin is accused of silenced Divodi-Lessa and her son because they were witnesses to a crime he had committed and could have taken the stand against him. Officials have not disclosed details about that earlier crime.
Family members told local outlets that Divodi-Lessa had been in a relationship with McFarlin.
McFarlin, who was off duty when the alleged killings took place, is currently being held without bond. Reports confirm he has been placed on unpaid leave by Cal Fire.
A fundraising campaign to support Serafina’s care has raised nearly $50,000. Relatives described Divodi-Lessa as “full of love and life,” while her daughter remembered her mother as “the best Mommy ever” and her brother as a “sweet boy.”
In a separate case on the opposite coast, a newly graduated fire cadet from Boston is facing charges after police say she assaulted her boyfriend in a public parking lot.
Authorities in Quincy, Massachusetts, reported that 25-year-old Cara Stapleton was spotted striking a man several times as he was down on the ground on Sunday.
Fire cadet arrested for attacking cheating boyfriend
An officer witnessed the alleged attack firsthand, writing in his report that he “activated my emergency siren to alert the two parties.” According to the officer, he then saw Stapleton slap the man across the face.
Police said Stapleton admitted the man was her boyfriend, before quickly correcting herself to say ex-boyfriend, and claimed he had cheated on her, which provoked the assault.
The two had earlier been removed from a waterfront restaurant. Officers reported that Stapleton smelled strongly of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes.
While being placed under arrest, Stapleton allegedly asked officers to remove the cuffs, explaining she needed to attend EMT school the next day.
She further told police she feared getting axed her new job if she was arrested.
Her boyfriend, meanwhile, was said to be verbally abusive toward police, denying he was injured and refusing to cooperate at the station.
Stapleton was arraigned Monday on charges of assault and battery on an intimate partner.
She pleaded not guilty and was released without bail but was ordered to stay away from the man.
Firefighters detained by Border Patrol while battling blaze
Meanwhile, controversy has erupted in Washington state after reports surfaced that two firefighters were detained by immigration officials while helping to battle the region’s largest active wildfire.
The Seattle Times reported Wednesday that Border Patrol agents arrested two firefighters assigned to the Bear Gulch fire on the Olympic Peninsula earlier that day.
Accounts from unnamed firefighters and video footage circulating online appear to show the men, dressed in firefighting uniforms, being placed in handcuffs by officers.
One clip, shared on TikTok, carried a caption stating the men had been cutting wood for residents in Shelton when they were confronted by law enforcement. “This was the ending result,” the caption read.
@chipz.n.salsa8 Shelton, WA Bear Gulch Fire. Sent to an assignment after briefing to DP 22 to cut rounds of wood for the community, and this was the ending result.
Photos from the scene showed a Customs and Border Protection vehicle parked near the operation while agents in vests marked “Police” restrained the men.
Other crew members claimed they were instructed not to film the incident. One firefighter told the outlet, “You risked your life out here to save the community. This is how they treat us.”
The detentions reportedly stretched on for hours as agents demanded identification from two private contractor crews assigned to the fire. More than 400 workers have been deployed to the Bear Gulch blaze.
Officials overseeing the firefight confirmed they were aware of the federal operation but said it was not interfering with suppression efforts.
They also reported crews were continuing to make progress on containing the flames.
