Arrest Made in Woman's Death

This story was updated Wednesday, 3:45 p.m.

A 29-year-old man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of murdering a young woman escort whose body was found in a Newport Beach office complex where he worked as a janitor.

Nain Isaac Nieto Hernandez was taken into custody in Santa Ana this morning in connection with the death of 23-year-old Sarai Alcaraz of Long Beach.

Alcaraz was working as an escort and went to meet Hernandez at the building at 5030 Campus Drive, according to Jennifer Manzella of the Newport Beach Police Department.

Authorities have not disclosed how Alcaraz was killed. An autopsy was done today, but the cause of death was pending further investigation and toxicology tests.

Police received a call at 12:11 a.m. Tuesday requesting a welfare check, and officers went to the business complex, Manzella said. The welfare request came from Alcaraz’s driver, according to a law enforcement source.

Police declined to say whether the body bore signs of trauma, although KTLA reported there were no obvious signs of trauma.

Newport Beach detectives responded to the city of Santa Ana to serve two residential search warrants and to attempt to locate Hernandez, whom they had identified as a suspect in this case. Shortly before 11:30 a.m., they conducted a vehicle stop on a black sedan on Alton Avenue near Bristol Street. A passenger in the vehicle, Hernandez was subsequently arrested for the murder of Alcaraz. Hernandez is a resident of Santa Ana who is currently employed in the janitorial services industry. There are no outstanding suspects in this investigation.

Hernandez pleaded guilty in October 2010 to “knowingly possessing false government documents,” some of which were “illegally obtained” from the Department of Motor Vehicles, according to his plea deal form obtained by City News Service. He was arrested in Tustin for driving without a valid driver’s license, court records show.

Hernandez was initially sentenced to 20 days in jail and 20 days working on a Caltrans crew, but failed to keep up with payments on the fine and complete the Caltrans work so his probation was revoked in June 2013, according to court records.

An arrest warrant was issued for him in June of this year for the same reasons, and he was ordered to perform 76 hours of community service, which he completed in October.

Hernandez was refunded $1,195 in overpayment of fines last month, according to court records.

-City News Service

Photo: Isaac Nieto Hernandez booking photo via Newport Beach Police Department