Man Accused Of Killing Couple, Their 5-Year-Old Daughter In Santa Barbara

SANTA BARBARA (CBSLA.com) — The Santa Barbara County Shefiff's Department has announced an arrest in the triple homicide of a couple and their 5-year-old daughter inside their home.

The residence is in the 4600 block of Greenhill Way. Officials were dispatched to the home around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday for a welfare check. After entering the home, sheriff's deputies determined a search warrant was needed.

The victims were identified as Weidong Henry Han, 57; his wife Huijie Yu (AKA Jenny), 29; and the couple's daughter Emily Han, 5, a kindergartner at Foothill Elementary.

Officials said the victims had been shot to death. The victims were wrapped in plastic, duct-taped and found in the garage.

During the course of their investigation, detectives developed information that pointed to a business acquaintance of Han's as suspect. That person was identified as Pierre Haobsh, 27, of Oceanside.

Haobsh was taken into custody around 12:30 a.m. Friday, officials said.

They also said they recovered a loaded 9mm handgun in the Haobsh's 2013 Lexus, as well as property believed to have belonged to one of the victims.

He was taken to Santa Barbara County Sheriff's headquarters. He became ill, was taken to a hospital for examination and was medically cleared. He will be booked at the Santa Barbara County Jail on three counts of murder.

Authorities said the investigation was "complex and on-going."

An official motive was not revealed, but detectives are working on the theory the crime was committed for financial gain.

Han owned and operated the Santa Barbara Herb Clinic since 1991. His wife worked with him at the clinic. Their daughter would have turned 6 on Saturday.